The Great Ruby Chase
by DragonTamer222
Summary: Ever wonder what happened in Rita’s life before she met Roddy? How did she get the Jammy Dodger? How did her father find the ruby, and how did the Toad steal it from him? How did she get it back? All this will be answered in The Great Ruby Chase!
1. Chapter 1

-1**Flushed Away **

**The Great Ruby Chase **

**Ever wonder what happened in Rita's life before she met Roddy? How did she get the Jammy Dodger? How did her father find the ruby, and how did the Toad steal it from him? How did she get it back? All this will be answered in The Great Ruby Chase! **

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to Dreamworks entertainment. _

**Chapter One: The Jammy Dodger (Rita's Youth) **

"Ooh, Daddy, can I see it when you're ready?" The young rat peered over the box that stood in her father's hands. She could hardly contain her excitement while she jumped up and down to get a better view, as if doing so would pull back the black cloth that hid the treasure inside.

Mr. Malone patted her tiny red head and grinned as he stepped all of the way into the door, using his tail like a whip to grab the knob and pull it closed behind him, "Of course, Rita, just let me get some breakfast and we can unveil my wonderful creation."

Rita laughed joyfully and rushed forward, her small legs propelling her forward into the kitchen. When she entered, she folded her arms over her chest as she looked at the table. It was so long, certainly unnecessary for Mum, Dad, Grandma, and her. Her mom said that it was to make room for the new members of the family, but as of now, Rita was the only child.

She pushed herself onto one of the chairs and let her shoed feet hang over the edge of the seat. She breathed in the delicious smell of grilled cheese on the stove, and her stomach rumbled gently at the teasing scent. Mr. Malone took a seat next to her and wrapped his arm over her shoulders to give her a small hug. Rita smiled and rested her elbows on the table before holding her head in her hands, humming a gentle tune that some of the slugs had taught her. Beside her, her dad began to harmonize with her singing and they began to go from hums to words, serenading until Grandma and Mrs. Malone came into the room.

The food consisted of large bread crumbs with delicious cheddar cheese melted between the bread. When her mom put the dish in front of her, Rita breathed in the delicious smell and folded her hands together. "Would you like to say the prayer, honey?" Mrs. Malone inquired as she grinned at her daughter.

Rita nodded vigorously and closed her lively, emerald eyes, "Thank you for our food, our family, and Dad's new invention which I'm going to see today!" she opened her eyes, saw her mom rolling her eyes, and added, "And thanks for giving me such an understanding mother, Amen!"

Her ear twitched as she heard Mr. Malone trying to stifle a chuckle and her mom buried her face in her hand, "You're just like you're father."

Rita grinned and gave her dad a wink which he happily returned. She then dug into her meal, enjoying the feeling of the cheese slipping through her teeth onto her tongue. Her taste buds tingled with the flavor and she absentmindedly went "Mmmmm," causing all four of them to laugh, Granny Malone went a bit overboard and fell off the back of her chair.

Soon, their bellies were filled, and Rita's spirits were lifted. "So, you guys are going to try out the new boat you made?" Mrs. Malone asked as she collected the empty plates. "Yup, we're going to explore the city!" Rita shouted happily, lifting her hands into the air.

Mrs. Malone smiled and planted a gentle kiss on her husband's cheek, "Do take care of her, Hun, she's only eight." The male rat nodded sharply and gave a salute, "Of course I will! I'll keep a close eye on her." Rita held her hand over her mouth and giggled, "Daddy, stop being so silly and let's get ready to ride."

Mr. Malone nodded "Ah, forgot one thing," he said as he reached behind him and grabbed the black box. He slowly took off the cloth and lowered it to his daughter's level. Her eyes gleamed when she looked down and saw the small, silver pop-lid that rested on the plushy bottom. She looked up expectantly at her dad and he nodded with a smile, urging her to take it.

Reaching her small fingers into the box, she grasped the key and took it out carefully, as if it were glass. She held it up to the light and grinned as it scattered light to and fro.

"So, are you ready?" Mr. Malone asked as he lifted her up onto his shoulders. "Yeah, Daddy, let's go!" "Oooh, can I come too?" Granny Malone asked from the dinner table, leaning up against it with a crazy look in her eyes. "Erm…sorry Mum, this is a father-daughter thing." Her son said quickly before bolting out the door with Rita above his head.

They arrived outside of their house onto the sidewalk. Both rats looked back at their home, admiring it's two stories that housed them and the other two. "Hmm, just think," Mr. Malone said as he cast his eyes upwards towards his daughter, "One day we'll have a bigger and better house for all of your brothers and sisters. Heh, maybe we'll have a bloomin' mansion!"

Rita smiled at the idea and pulled gently on her dad's ears, "How about we see the carriage that will bring us to and from? It's so hard walking to the city on foot."

"Hey," he said as he continued towards the small garage they had imbedded into the sewer wall, "I'm the one that does all the walking. You get a free ride ye' little bum."

With a push of a red button on the side of the wall, the garage door started to open and Rita's green eyes widened in amazement at the beautiful ship in front of her.

The base of the boat was made out of the bottom of a tin cooler, and the bars along side held tennis balls for make-shift buoys. A cabin was built on the inside where Rita figured was the engine for the boat. Her dad began to walk around it so she could get a better view, and she noticed an air horn, a pair of goggles in front of the steering wheel, and a roof above the controls.

When they circled around, she noticed the back was made out of half of a tire, and the words "Jammy Dodger" were written in bold black letters on a yellow sign.

"Wow, it's awesome!" Rita shouted as she leaned over her dad's head a bit further to get a better look, "How're we going to get it into the water? It's so big…" Mr. Malone grinned and climbed into the boat, using one hand to steady himself, and the other to hold Rita straight, "I'll show you."

He went over to the controls, picked his daughter off of his head to set her down, and reached out for the analog stick that had been made from a pencil. "Turn around and look at that hand-shaped thing back there." Rita complied and her eyes widened in shock as she saw the fingers on the hand begin to twitch and, eventually, move. The metal appendages "walked" to the end of the boat and the hand lifted over with the help of different jointed bars that stuck up from above the ship. The metal hands then planted themselves firmly on the ground. The bars pushed the hand against the ground and the boat lifted slowly up into the air.

The young red-haired rat ran to the side of the boat to see how far it lifted, and without warning, it crashed down again, causing her to fall on her bottom. "Hey, Dad, that' wasn't nice!" she yelled as she got back up and brushed off her pants. His hearty laugh met her ears and the boat lifted again, "I can't set it down gently, so we have to sort of inch our way across. If there were two hands it probably would be easier, but what would be the fun in that?" A few more pushes and they were finally at the edge of the sidewalk. The deck of the boat leaned precariously over the edge, and the metallic hand firmly pushed against the ground one last time.

"Hang on tight, poppet!" Rita grasped the sides of the boat just as it lifted upward and, like a clock, rotated over the hand before it crashed into the murky water, causing a torrential wave to stretch out from the sides of the boat. "Oi! Now that was fun!" she shouted in her clear Cockney accent, feeling the gentle rocking motion of the boat as it steadied itself in the water, "Now it's time to see this thing fly!"

Mr. Malone laughed and motioned to her so she could join him at the side of the boat where the starter stood, "You're turn, Rita, let's hear this monster roar!" She gave a quick nod and then clipped the pop can lid onto the cord that connected to the bike parts. She then gave a strong pull at the cord, trying it three times before she could get it started. The engine whirred and the water at the rear of the boat boiled as the turbines beneath began to rotate.

Soon, they were off, slowly pulling forward away from the confines of the garage. Mr. Malone cranked the speed lever a bit and the boat began to surge forward faster, allowing them to travel down the large tunnel away from their secluded home. Rita had to stand on a stool in order to see above the steering wheel. The look on her father's wide face was sheer determination, and she imitated the look, keeping a close eye upon the river in front of them.

They soon were in the open (well, as open as it could be in a sewer) and the young rat breathed in the fresh air that filtered in from the grate up top. "Come on Dad, pick up the speed!" she shouted as she looked at the many buttons and dials that covered the control panel. He nodded and pushed the lever even further, causing them to go much faster.

Now the wind blew across Rita's face, causing some of her red hair to fall out of her ponytail to fly freely in the breeze. "Woo hoo!" she whooped in excitement as she placed her hands upon the dashboard to lean further into the wind, "This is wonderful daddy!" His hands effortlessly turned the faucet knob around to maneuver around obstacles that came near to the Jammy Dodger's hull. Rita looked at him in admiration; she wanted to be just like him when she grew up.

As they reached the city, he pulled back the switch and the boat slowed down considerably as they reached a stop light that was suspended above the boats. They waited patiently for a few trolley-style ships to cross and once again they were forward, a bit slower than before in the crowded streets. "So, Rita, where do you think we should go first?"

The young girl rushed to the side of the boat and pointed at a stand nearby, "I want to say hello to Pegleg. Maybe he'd like to see the new boat." Mr. Malone nodded and turned in to the dark storehouse that was near the stand. He slowed the boat down until they were beside the sidewalk.

Rita helped her dad push the large ruler over to the side for a plank to walk upon. He boosted her up to the top of it and she easily crossed, even as it slowly bounced up and down from the light weight. Her dad had a harder time and he nearly fell once, but she caught his hand just on time and gave him the pull he needed to right himself up again, "That was a close one Daddy," she said with a laugh, "You need to be a bit more graceful."

"Cheeky little thing," Mr. Malone muttered as he righted himself and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Let's get going, I'm sure Pegleg would like to see us."

Rita laughed and ran forward towards the light that came from the open tunnel. She would occasionally stop so her dad could catch up, but she was eager to see her good friend. She passed by a few sleepy slugs who's droopy eyes followed her as she walked by. When she reached the main street of Ratopia, she quickly ran towards Pegleg's stand and grinned as she saw a familiar figure near him.

"Sid!" she shouted as she ran up to the heavier rat. He turned around to greet her, his face smudged with dirt, and a large smile crossed his face, "Rita! Hey!" The two kids performed a small secret handshake that they shared between them, and a low chuckle rose up as they did so.

"Ye kids are sure full of energy." Pegleg said as he gazed down at them with one eye, "Aye, I remember when I was that young." Rita smiled and gazed up at the counter at the pirate-like rat, "I haven't seen you for a while Mr. Pegleg. How's it going?"

The cook gave a shrug of his shoulders and began to fry up some potatoes, "Business hasn't been good with The Toad coming along, but I won't frighten you with those kinds of stories."

"The Toad?" the two kids inquired, looking up at Pegleg expectantly.

"He's no concern of you kids." Rita looked back as her father spoke, and an angry look was on his face.

"I'm sorry Pegleg, but we shouldn't be discussing that sort of thing in front of the children." He added, afraid he might have upset the old man, "We'll take some fries."

"Exactly why I'm cookin' 'em." The pirate said as he lifted his hook over his eye and pulled the patch up, "and I'm sorry I mentioned that crazed fool, but it's got everyone startled now."

He handed both kids and Mr. Malone a box of fries and held his hook up when Rita's father tried to pay him. "It's on the house. I saw that amazing sea craft you created." He winked at the trio, "Wonderful thing that is."

Mr. Malone beamed and Rita grinned while folding her arms over her chest, "Told you he'd like it."

"Hey Sid, you coming?" The young boy turned to see a few of his friends nearby kicking around a soccer ball and he nodded vigorously before stuffing a handful of fries, "Mphno Proflem, A'im comin" he said with his mouth full.

"See ya later Sid." Rita said as she pat him on the back to give him a boost towards his friends. He waved with a greasy hand and ran towards the small group of kids.

Rita looked up at her Dad who had been whispering to Pegleg. He noticed her looking and he cleared his throat before pushing her towards a bench nearby, "Rita, I have to get a few things from the Mini Market, wait for me and then on the way back I'll let you drive when we get into open waters."

"Sweet!" She leapt onto the bench and began chewing her food, noticing from the corner of her eyes her father leaving to the grocery store.

"I know you have it, now why don't you be an obedient citizen and give me the antique?" Rita heard the unfamiliar voice and turned her head to see a large black rat standing in front of Pegleg, a menacing look in his crimson eyes.

"I don't have it," The pirate replied with a frightened look, "Why would I want something as useless as I collectable."

"Don't give me any of that, I know you have it, and if I have to bring you to the Boss, I won't hesitate to." She watched in alarm as the large rat rolled up his sleeves and held his fist back. Pegleg held his hands in front of his face and shouted out, "Wait! I'll give it to you!" He reached beneath his stand and pulled out a small, autographed picture of Prince Charles with his good hand and placed it into the black rat's huge paw, "There, I don't want no trouble from ye, just take it and leave!" the pirate shouted in fear.

"Pleasure doing business with you." The rat muttered as he turned and left. Rita watched his dispersion with narrowed eyes and she felt her hands clench angrily, "That thieving toe-rag!" she shouted, using a favorite expression of hers, "Why would he do such a thing?"

"Argh…The Toad is striking out even more now.." Pegleg muttered as he looked down at his empty hand, "If only someone were brave enough to stand up against him."

Rita didn't know who this Toad was, but she made it her chore to find out.

In a few minutes, her father came back with an armful of groceries and he motioned with his head for her to follow. She remained silent as she jumped down from the bench, ignoring the confused glances a few slugs were giving her, and followed him to the ship.

As Mr. Malone set his groceries down and started the ship, he looked back at Rita who sat beside the starter, holding her head in her hands as she looked down at the floor. "What's the matter Rita?" he asked as the silent whir of the engine met his ears.

"It's nothing…" she muttered as she looked up with a gleam in her eye, "Let's go now so I can drive."

Grinning, Mr. Malone nodded and went under the roof to take hold of the wheel. He used the mechanical hand to pull up the plank from the side of the boat and to lift the anchor onto the deck. At once they were off, driving into the busy waters of the city.

Rita's dad carefully navigated his way through the street lights and stop signs and soon they were in the large tunnel that led to their house. "Alright, Rita, are you ready?" Mr. Malone asked as he kicked the stool before him and rested his knee upon it so she could climb onto his leg, "Just be careful, you don't want to scrape the sides of it and have it wind up like the Titanic."

She gave him a quizzical glance but took the large steering wheel into her hand, feeling the cool steel against her fur. Her Dad sped the boat up and she soon steered it through the open water, as calm and cool as if she had been doing it all of the eight years of her life.

"You'll be a great driver someday," Mr. Malone said with a grin, "I just know it."

Rita grinned and just continued to watch the river, studying each of the dials and making mental notes of what they did when her father activated them. She was going to figure this out, even if it would take her years to.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to Dreamworks entertainment._

**Chapter 2: Working in the Sewers (Teenage Years)**

The steady hum of the ship was the only sound that Rita heard as she steered the mighty vessel towards her destination. On the dashboard before her was a box filled with neat objects she found for her ever-growing family. It had been her turn to scavenge for some supplies that her brothers and sisters could use; right now her Dad was at home, helping Mrs. Malone and Granny out with the housework.

The young rat's emerald eyes strayed towards a framed picture that rested on the dashboard of the ship. It was a picture of Mr. Malone and her, steering the boat together when she was eight.

The corners of her mouth rose in a smile and she firmed her hold on the steering wheel. When was that, nine years ago? Yes, she remembered now, it had been a year since she got her license to drive, not like she needed one. She was one of the most skilled drivers London had, and that was no lie.

She lifted her hand to her hair and tightened the ponytail on her head, hoping to keep the red stands from getting in her face as she drove. She fingered an object she had in her pocket, it was a special item, nothing like the candy hearts and old toys she had in the box.

Her fingers grasped the item and she lifted it up above her head to gaze at the strange item.

It was a coin of some sort. It was too small to be a human coin, but it fit perfectly over her palm so her fingers would barely just bend over the top.

She looked at the image of a crown that was engraved in the golden surface and she smiled, she had found it near the west side of the city in the water, and it obviously fell from a vent above the ceiling.

The water had long since dried from it, and now it gleamed with an amazing luster which cast a faint glow upon her face. She was sure she could get a good sum of money from selling it; it would at least get her family some decent appliances, their stove looks like it would fall in the floor any moment. Taking one last glance, she placed it in the front pocket of her jeans and continued sailing onwards.

The sound of another ship crossed her attention and she turned her head to see a sleek black and red speedboat coming towards her. She shaded her eyes from the sun with her hand and groaned softly as she saw a large white rat and a smaller sidekick of his coming towards her.

"Great…The Toad's cronies…" she kicked the boat into high gear and it sped forward through the tunnel. She took the wheel and swerved to the right at the closest intersection, hoping the henchrats would have to slow down to make the turn.

Her hands furiously worked the controls, she dealt with these creeps before, but they were always close in trying to catch her. Obviously they were after the coin, and she couldn't help but wonder, how did they know she had it?

"Alright, Jammy me old mate, let's see what you've got." She shouted as she cranked the lever as far as she could, allowing the boat to shoot forward at incredible speeds.

The wind furiously pounded at her as she sped on, and every time she would chance a glance back, the two rats would always be right on her tail. They were now joined by three others who rode on miniature helicopters which buzzed loudly in the air as they drew near.

"Oh come on!" Rita shouted as she reached a paw over to her right to control the arm of the boat, "Where in the world did they get those from?"

The enemy crafts drew nearer and a large U-turn in the sewer line was coming up. The Jammy Dodger continued at 60 MPH, and Rita gasped as the curve came up and she furiously pulled against the faucet handle.

The ship turned, but because of its momentum, its side crashed against the side of the tunnel walls, throwing the scavenger to the deck of the boat.

"Oi…" Rita muttered as she pushed herself up and rubbed the back of her head which throbbed in pain, "Didn't see that coming…"

The beating of helicopter blades snapped her back to action and she quickly pressed in the gas pedal and tried going forward. However, the sides of the boats scraped across the sides, and the speedboat had just pulled in next to her.

At the same time, the remote-controlled helicopters landed on the sidewalk and her boat was stormed with the henchrats. Rita managed to swipe the ones who rode the helicopters off of the deck, but the largest one grabbed her by the tail and flung her against the back of the boat. She tried leaping up to retaliate, but he shoved his foot against her, pinning her to the rear of the ship.

"Augh! Let go of me you white hairball!" the teen shouted as she tried pushing against his foot. The large rat just turned his head back to look at his smaller partner and he pointed at her, "I caught her, Spike."

She wanted to yell "No dip", but thought that would make matters worse. She tried instead to concentrate on reaching out for a bar that was just a few inches from her outstretched hand. She strained harder and harder, her fingers brushed the sides, but she couldn't reach any further.

"Great job, Whitey! The smaller, twitchy rat said as he walked at the side, kicking the bar further from her hand, "We wouldn't want to have an accident, now would we?" he asked the trapped rat with a dark glare.

Rita let her arm fall limp and she glared back at the young, hyperactive henchrat, "What do you want? Come to do The Toad's filthy work for him?"

Spike leaned down and held his hand out, "I'm here for that coin you have, and for your information, The Toad hand chose us for retrieving it. Now hand it over before we use force."

"I don't think we should use force, Spike," Whitey said aloud, "She's just a little one."

"So am I," Spike yelled in his high-pitched voice, "But you don't see me complaining!"

Rita took that chance to pull back her head and propel a gob of spit at the small mouse's face. He turned just as she let it fly and it landed right on his forehead.

"Ha ha! Direct hit!" she shouted in triumph as Spike began to jump around, furiously wiping his head. A look of pure disgust and anger was planted clearly upon his face.

Whitey laughed at the antic and winked at Rita, "Good shot, mate. I could never spit that well." He then saw his partner's eye twitch and he cleared his throat, "Right…find the coin, got it!"

His foot lifted and Rita burst forward, trying to get away from the two. However, the larger rat grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her back, holding her out a safe distance so her kicking feet wouldn't touch him.

Spike took the opportunity to reach out and snatch the coin from her front pocket, easily dodging her lashing feet and tail.

"Alright, Whitey, we got it! Let's go now!"

Rita felt the large rat push roughly against her back. She crashed head-first into the other side of the boat, and darkness overwhelmed her senses.

"Hey, is she okay?"

"I don't know, that bruise on her head looks pretty bad."

Rita groaned and her eyes slowly opened to view the world around her. She looked for the source of the noise, but could only see the steel wall of the boat, and she realized she was lying on the deck.

"Ugh…what happened?" she asked as she got up to her knees and held her forehead, "That really hurt…"

"Hey look, she's up!"

Her eyes focused on the two, beady eyes of a slug, which blinked at her as she stared face-to-face with it.

"Whaagh!" she shouted as she fell back on her rear, "Gosh, don't scare a girl like that." She said as she lifted a hand to her chest, "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry, Rita," One of the slugs, green in color, said softly, "We were just worried about you, we saw what happened from across the river and we came across the ceiling as fast as we could."

Rita tried imagining the slugs doing their best to scurry over after the rats attacked, but she couldn't seem to focus properly, "Wow, that was some bump…" she muttered as she slowly got up, dizzily at first, but growing more steady as her vision stopped swirling around so much.

"Did you see anything else before I was knocked out?" She asked the two slugs as she walked to the control panel of the Dodger, "Any sabotage?"

The slugs both shook their heads and the second one, a brown colored one, replied, "No, they just took the coin and left. Obviously they wanted to get away from here, and fast."

"Hmm…" Rita looked at the dashboard and gasped, "My picture's gone!" she bent over to look beneath, but there was no sign of it, "It must have flown off while I was escaping!"

The slugs inched towards her and looked at each other in confusion, "You sound so worried just for a picture…" the green one muttered as he looked up at her, "I'm surprised you're not happy that you're still alive after facing that bunch!"

"Augh, I don't care about that!" she shouted as she leaned over the wheel to look at the front deck, "That picture means everything to me!"

After an hour of frantic searching, she sighed and finally gave up, "It's probably long gone by now…" she muttered as she pulled the starter cord of the boat, "I'll have to tell Dad…"

"I'm sorry, Rita," the brown slug said sadly as his bulgy eyes peeked up from the stairs that led to the storage room, "I can't find it anywhere."

"Don't worry about it, mate." She muttered as she started the boat up and turned it around, "Let's just go home."

The missing picture wasn't the only thing that was bothering her. She wanted to better defend herself against attacks like that, instead of being tossed around like a rag doll. If her father was the one driving, he would have sent those rats crying back to their boss in no time flat…

"I'm sorry, Dad…" she whispered as she kept the ship at a steady course towards home, "I failed you…"

When she arrived at home, she gazed up at the sectioned house in disappointment. Since new siblings were coming in left and right, more rooms had to be built, and that meant that they had to pull the house away from the sidewalk and make it float in order to keep it from sinking in.

She parked the Dodger next to the dock that jutted from the patchy home and grabbed the box in one arm while tying up the boat with the other. She was getting good at taking care of the Jammy Dodger. Her and her dad always made sure that everything was in ship shape for the next day, week, however long it would take for them to search out for more supplies.

When she entered the house, she was soon surrounded by kids ranging from ages 4 to 12. All were her little brothers and sisters, and all of them were crowding around her to see what she brought.

She began to hand out toys to the kids, occasionally breaking up some fights here and there. She was beginning to run out of toys just as Mr. and Mrs. Malone walked into the room.

"Rita, you're back." Her mother said as she enveloped her in a warm embrace, "I'm so glad you're safe."

The younger rat smiled and took out some fabric from the box and handed it to her mom, "Here, I hope it's enough to make Fergus some new clothes," she pointed her thumb over her shoulder at her largest sibling, "He's definitely growing fast."

"Aye, he sure is," Mrs. Malone turned around and walked towards the stairs, allowing her husband to greet their daughter.

"So, I see you're work day was a success." Mr. Malone said as he wrapped an arm around Rita's shoulder and led her to the kitchen, "did anything exciting happen on the Dodger? Or was it just a bloody boring day?"

Rita didn't know whether to tell him about the experience or not, but he had said that there would be no secrets kept between them.

"Erm…Dad..." she muttered softly, "I had a bit of a problem today."

His smiling face took on a more serious countenance and he stood in front of her hand held her shoulders in his hands, "What?" His hazel eyes locked onto the bruise on her forehead and he gasped, "What happened?"

She grabbed his arms and lowered them at his side before turning aside so she didn't have to speak to his face, "I…I found a wonderful coin, by the city limits. It fell down a grate on the sidewalk Up Top into the water." She sighed and looked up at the ceiling, "It was beautiful, and I knew it would be worth something, so I hoped to bring it here so we could sell it to get a bit of extra money."

Her eyes slowly turned to him and he nodded, urging her to continue her story, "Well, I was on my way home when I was attacked by The Toad's henchrats. I kept ahead of them for most of the time, but then a U-Turn came up on the river and I missed it." She sighed, "That move cost me the fight, and the coin." Her head bowed down in shame and she whispered, "I'm sorry…"

Mr. Malone looked at her and he gently took her arm in his hand and pulled her to his chest to hug her close, "I don't care about no coin, I'm just glad you made it out all right."

Mrs. Malone had begun to come down the steps and Mr. Malone lowered his voice, "Just don't tell your mother, or anyone else for that matter. We don't want them all to get worked up about it."

Rita nodded in agreement and yawned softly, "Oi, it's been a while since I've slept in a regular bed; I think I'd like to catch a few Z's before I get ready for the weekend."

Her dad nodded and motioned towards the stairs, "I'll see you in the morning. We're all going to the city square to watch a football game."

Rita smiled and walked up the stairway, her father's words repeating in her mind.

"_I don't care about no coin, I'm just glad you made it out all right."_

As she climbed each creaky step, she wondered if she would be as lucky as she was today. What stopped those rats from killing her? Were they using her to find the artifacts so they could steal them? It seemed like a good possibility, but how could they spy on her like that?"

She was in her room on the second floor before she could finish her thoughts. Everything in her mind seemed to fade away as she dragged her feet across the floor to her bed. She didn't even feel like changing, she just collapsed onto the plushy mattress and weakly pulled the covers over her. She then let the comforting sounds of her home lull her to sleep. The kids shouting downstairs, her Granny listening to oldies music upstairs, her mother humming while she sewed some new clothes; all of that was music to her ears, and within seconds, she was fast asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to Dreamworks entertainment._

**Chapter 3: Out to Town (Teenage Years)**

_Rita felt the cool breeze once again as she traversed through the empty tunnels of the Root Canal. The water was more choppy here, and it took all of her concentration to steer the Dodger through the cold waters._

_She didn't know what urged her onwards like this. Her father would kill her if he found out she was trying to get to the world Up Top to search for more valuable goods. He told her about the rapids, and that no ship had gotten past them._

"_They haven't met you, Jammy." She muttered as she pat the control panel of the boat, "You can travel through a miniature hurricane if we ever got any."_

_The ship remained silent, as most boats do, and continued to brave the miniature waves the water had created._

_A distant buzzing caught her attention and she tightly grasped the steering wheel before chancing a look back at the tunnel behind her. A gasp escaped from her lips as a helicopter, much larger then the ones that followed her earlier, soared after her, unheeded by the rapids as her vessel was._

_The large grate which revealed the deadly waterfall was coming up quickly, and she tried to force the boat to go straight instead of veering off to the left where the gaping mouth of the gate stood, ready to devour the Dodger and her. The front of the boat almost reached the smooth waters, but suddenly the enemy aircraft lowered itself before her and pushed the boat back into the deadly rapids._

"_No!" she shouted as the boat was furiously pulled by the current into the opening of the dangerous passage. She furiously pounded out on the controls, feeling her life slipping away at each passing minute as she neared the falls. The boat was being hammered on all sides by the huge waves, causing Rita to be knocked around every which way._

_She reached out for the hand control at the last minute and tried using the mechanical figures to grasp the side of the tunnel. Unfortunately, there was nothing to hold onto, and the boat began to plunge nose-first down the fatal cliff. She held on tightly to the steering wheel and tightly shut her eyes, feeling her life pass before her as the boat struck and water surrounded her on all sides…_

"Rita, it's time to wake up."

Rita gasped and unconsciously struck out a hand, feeling her father's strong hold against it, "Calm down, it's just me." Mr. Malone whispered as he released her wrist, "Bad dream?"

"Horrid…" she muttered as she felt her heart beat as if it were at the edge of her throat, "It's nothing though, just a little nightmare."

Her dad gazed down at her uncertainly, "You know, if you're not feeling up to it, I could drive the family in."  
"No, that's fine." Rita muttered as she sat up and stretched her arms over her head, "I'll be alright, just gotta get some breakfast."

When her dad left the room, she jumped out of bed and changed into a red, white, and blue tee-shirt her mother made and also pulled on a new pair of jeans. She gazed up at the mirror above her dresser and reached up a hand to straighten out a few strands of hair, smiling as she saw her reflection. She looked tough, exactly the kind of image she wanted to put upon herself. She didn't want to appear like some helpless girl to those rats if they attacked again.

She even let a few fiery strands of hair fall above her eye for a kind of messy affect. Mum wouldn't approve, but then again, she didn't approve of much that Rita did, said that she should be more interested in boys then in scavenging.

"Mothers…" Rite muttered softly as she gaze in her mirror for one last look before she began to leave her empty room.

Her siblings were strangely quiet this morning. When she looked at the clock on the wall, she noticed that it was eight o'clock. The game wasn't until noon, and apparently the kids were still a bit tired.

"That's what happens when you stay up late, Fergus." She said as she pat the bald head of the tallest mouse who was rubbing his tired eyes with the back of his paws. She looked at another of her younger brothers who was leaning backwards on a kitchen chair. He was the second youngest to her, and he was the one who caused fourteen years of irritation for her.

"Hey Rita, I heard you brought some new items here." The black-haired kid said as he gazed carelessly at her, "Why did it take you so long, did you have problems digging through the trash?"

"Just shut your mouth, Liam." Rita snarled as she took a seat far from him, "I'm trying my best to take care of this family. All you do is sit around, listening to rock music all day!"

"What? I can't hear you!" Liam had cranked his headphones up to the maximum so it would drown out his sister's voice, "I'm listening to Bubonic Frume!"

Rita groaned and closed her emerald eyes, her snout twitching at the scent of breakfast cooking on the stove, _Oatmeal again? Can't we afford any good food anymore?_ She knew that the answer was "no". Ever since the kids started coming like crazy, they've been hardly able to support themselves and the new bundles of joy that continued to add to the family.

"It wasn't like that when I was young…" Rita muttered softly as she gazed at the stumbling kids that wandered all over the house, "Now it seems we have no time or money to spend."

"What was that, my girl?" Mr. Malone asked as he tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hmm?" Rita asked as she gazed blankly up at him. She shook her head as she realized what she was saying and a hint of red appeared beneath her brown fur on her face, "Oh, it's nothing, really. I'm just talking to myself."

"Well, I'd suggest you prepare for the game, England versus France today, I'm sure it will be a great show."

Rita nodded softly and watched as Mum carried out the bowl of oatmeal. She allowed Rita to take the first few bites, she needed the energy to sail them all into town, but as soon as she was finished, the rest of the kids swarmed around the food, causing splashes of oatmeal and an occasional spoon flying all about the kitchen.

Rita got out of her chair and pushed it in in order to escape the furry piranha. Sure, she didn't mind getting a little oatmeal on her in the morning, but having a whole handful being poured over her head like little Russell was threatening to do? Not good for her overwhelming dignity.

"Psst, Rita. Come over here."

Her Dad's voice called to her from the other side of the kitchen door, and she noticed he was standing in the corner, a paper clutched tightly in his hand.

She walked to him, looked around to see if anyone was watching, and peered down at the paper as her father gave an explanation to his secrecy, "Listen, it appears there's been some gang of thugs out and about, trying to look for new members in their crew." He placed a finger upon a picture where it revealed a few tough-looking mice in leather jackets and bandanas glaring at the person who had taken the picture, "Apparently they've caused a lot of damage and hurt a bunch of folk who refused to join them. I want you to stay close to the family during the game today." He looked up at her with a worried glance, "I know how strong you are, and I'm sure these goons will give you trouble. I want you to stay with us, no matter what happens."

The younger rat nodded, but she had her fingers crossed behind her back.

_This would be a perfect opportunity to prove myself…_ She thought as she gazed at the four tough rats on the paper, _If I can defeat those goons, maybe the Toad will realize he's messing with the wrong girl. Now the question is, how can I get away from Dad and Mum to find them?_

The answer to that was quite simple. Her family took great joy in watching the game, and they would be easily distracted by it. Besides, she wasn't very crazy about sports on television, even the best-loved sport in all of England, _real _football. (Okay, I'm not dissing American football, but come on; the Europeans had the idea way before us, and what does throwing a ball to one person to another have to do with your feet? xx')

The family was soon fed and ready for the trip in the Jammy Dodger. Granny Malone stayed with most of the younger kids who would've been impossible to keep track of. The older ones climbed into the boat, some sat on the deck, some went in the cabin, but Rita and her Dad were at the captain's position: at the control panel where they could steer the noble vessel to its destination.

Liam pulled on the cord in order to start the boat, and Mr. Malone stepped on the gas while Rita steered. The shouts of the kids kept her from her musings as she usually did when she drove, but instead it provided her with a comforting feeling of home that she never had when she was out on her own.

The ride was fairly uneventful, except for the fact that she had to pull out her younger brother Jojo from the river when he looked over to see something shiny in the water. Apparently it had been a small paperclip, which Rita placed in her back pocket in case it would come in handy.

When they arrived in the familiar, dark dock that Rita soon took a liking to, all of the kids stumbled to get out of the boat, climbing and pulling on one another to see who would get the best spot in the central park where the large TV loomed over Ratopia.

Rita waited until everyone was out before she turned the Dodger off and leapt out herself. She watched from the corner of her eye as she secured the boat to the dock to make sure her Dad was out of view, and as he turned the corner, she breathed a sigh of relief and pulled tightly on the knot.

The city streets weren't very crowded, since everyone was in the square watching the start of the game. Rita figured that the gang would be somewhere near, seeking out new meat in order to create their group. Not only would she prove herself strong, she may even be able to help someone out. See? There's always a better side to everything.

She had walked past a dark alley when she heard a familiar voice, and she could sense the fear within it.

"P-p-please, leave me alone. I don't want to join you Wolfgang, just let me be."

_Sid?_ Rita turned in and saw by the light of a lamp high above the alley the same gang she saw in the paper. There was no mistaking the chubby teen in the middle, his leather jacket and dirty face made him look as if he _were _in the gang, but the look of terror on his face told her otherwise.

"You know, we're giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity," the largest member, Wolfgang, said as he rubbed one fist into an outstretched palm, "You can either join us, or we'll make sure that no other gang takes you in. What do you say to that?"

The three other members came up from behind Sid and made threatening gestures such as pulling their sleeves up to reveal their sinewy biceps.

_Yeesh, where do these guys work out at? I mean, a bit of muscle is good, but that's going a bit overboard…_ Rita thought as she stepped further into the alley, taking note of the objects that were within it. A dumpster rested nearby and across from it was a flag pole that jutted out just above their heads.

"Hey, Brainless!"

_Augh! Why'd I do that?!_

"Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?" she asked, noting that they completely dwarfed her. Well, she was taller than Sid, but was lacking in the wideness.

Wolfgang turned to her, his sunglasses gleaming in the light, "Who's there? Why don't you show yourself and we'll see how tough you really look."

_Great…_

She stepped forward into the light, resting one hand on her hip and slouching to the side a bit to reveal her defiance. She saw the looks of utter shock and surprise on their faces, one point for Rita, zero thugs.

Wolfgang looked at her, then his mouth opened in a stupid grin, and then he laughed _hard_.

"Wah ha ha ha ha! What is this, some kind of a joke?" he asked, folding his huge arms over his chest, "I was expecting someone a bit…completely different from what you are!"

_Wow…he can't even talk right…_

"Well, usually I don't pick fight with _girls_." He said the last word in such a tone that it made a scowl cross Rita's face, "But in your case we may make an exception."

Rita grinned as two of the guys ran at her, and she easily slipped between them and threw a kick at one, then the other, planting her foot on their rears before they toppled over onto the ground. She turned as another came from behind her and she ducked, placed her palms on the ground, and threw her weight up to bring her shoes crashing into the larger rat's stomach, flinging him back onto the backs of the other two.

She then turned to Wolfgang, who's grey face was beat red from rage and shock. He came after her with arms outstretched, so she leapt onto his hands, used them as a springboard to reach the dumpster, and then landed upon it with one knee and one hand to hold herself up. She then jumped towards the flagpole, grabbed it with both hands, and swung herself up and around, planting a kick into his large jaw. She flew over once again and adjusted her position so that she would face the other direction. She lifted her legs to her chest, flew over his head, and then let go of the pole, allowing herself to fall upon him and pin him to the ground, her sneakers upon the back of his wrists.

"Not so tough now, are you?" she asked as he groaned beneath her. Lithely jumping off, she walked over to Sid and helped him off of his knees, "Are you alright there?" she asked, a look of utter triumph written plainly upon her face.

Sid nodded vigorously and looked at the dazed opponents she had fought, "Wow, when did you learn to fight like that?" he asked, still blinking in surprise.

Rita led him forward, over the crumpled bodies of the groaning rats, "You kind of learn these things while being on your own," she sighed and dropped his arm as they reached the light outside, "Trust me; I'm on my own a lot. It can be nice at some points, but it does get lonely."

She gave a weak smile to her friend and pat him on the back, "Well, you better stick with your friends. You never know if brainless creeps like these ever learn their lesson."

"Yes, m'am!" Sid said as he gave her a double thumbs up, "Thanks for saving my tail, I owe ya one!"

Rita waved it off, "It's no problem, just take care, okay?" He was a few feet away from her when she realized something, "Oi! And don't tell my parents about this, okay?"

He turned and gave her a wave to show he heard and he ran off once again. Rita smiled and slapped her hands together from her success and began to walk back to the crowd. However, she felt that even though she fought those thugs, that it wouldn't be anything near to what she would face in the future. As she maneuvered herself through the crowd, she pictured the Toad and his henchmen, and wondered if she would ever stop their oppression on everyone in Ratopia.

"Hey, Rita, are you enjoying the game?" Mr. Malone asked a few minutes after she snuck by him, completely oblivious of where she was the past few minutes.

"Yeah...I sure am."


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to DreamWorks entertainment._

Hey guys, if any of you are curious on why I made Rita and her dad have such a close relationship, I made it that way because it seems like they would have been close before his injuries occurred. This chapter develops this a bit more. I sort of used examples from my life with my step dad on here. Heh, it's kind of fun looking back at it and seeing the similarities xx' Oh, and if later on you expect a SidxRita thing, sorry about that, but my fic isn't going in that direction. I believe RoddyxRita is the only way to go sorry for you Sid/Rita shippers out there…Anyway, without further ado:

**Chapter 4: The Great Boat Race (Teenage Years)**

"Hmm…what's this now?"

It had been a few weeks after the gang fight, and Rita was once again foraging for discarded or forgotten items that had been tossed half-heartedly about. The entire front half of her body was stretched inside of a dumpster and her hands reached towards a brand new newspaper that someone must have read and thrown out. She narrowed her eyes as if doing so would help her reach further, but her fingertips just barely grazed the edges.

"Just…a bit…farther…" Her eyes widened in shock, "Whoa!"

The shifted weight to the front of her body caused her to lose her balance and she crashed into the trash bin. As the tip of her tail slid over the metal edge, the cover of the bin slammed down, casting her into darkness.

"Ugh..." she muttered as she placed a hand over her snout, while reaching towards the paper with the other, "The things I do for having the need to learn about the world around me…"

With the paper clutched tightly in one hand, she took in a deep breath and pushed up on the lid with the other, causing a shaft of light to peek through the dumpster. She tried not to look at the disgusting things that she landed in, and instead leapt out lithely back to the ground and fresh air.

Shaking the dirt and grime from the paper, she slapped the back of her hand at it to straighten it out and allowed her emerald eyes to scan the miniscule letters that covered the thin paper.

"Hmm…" a certain ad caught her eye and she read it aloud to herself, "…boat race is to be held, starting in the city limits…" she mouthed the less interesting details and when she got to the end, her voice rose, "Winner receives a gold trophy with their name engraved in it." She grinned and cast the paper behind her, "I could get a hefty sum for that."

As she walked towards her ship, the paper fluttered slowly to the ground. Beneath the article were words in tiny font that read, "The Boat Race is sponsored and will be run by The Toad."

"Absolutely not!"

"But Mum, this race could change our life! If I win that trophy I could…"

"_If_ you win the trophy! You know how I feel about boat races, Rita, you're just too young."

"Augh!" Rita threw her hands up in defeat and collapsed on the couch, her brow furrowed in a glare that was meant for her mother. Why did Mum have to be so difficult? With that trophy they would be on easy street. No more crowded house, no more fighting over food, why wouldn't her mother let her take this chance?

"Listen, Rita. I know you mean well, but I don't want you to get hurt." Mrs. Malone sat next to her and slipped her arm behind her daughter's neck to hold her close in a comforting gesture. However, Rita stood up and folded her arms across her chest, "I'll be fine, Mum. It's not like the race is going to be rigged or anything, I mean, it's for the city." Her eyes darted to the conquered look on her Mum's face, "Besides, I would still go anyway, even if you did tell me no."

Mrs. Malone sighed and looked up at her daughter, her eyes shining with tears that threatened to come, "I know you would…Just, make sure you be careful, okay?" she asked, her eyes pleading, as she absentmindedly smoothed out the wrinkles from her apron, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Mum…" She felt a little guilty now, she never saw her mother this apprehensive before, "I'm sorry, but this really means a lot to me." She wrapped her arms around Mrs. Malone and whispered, "I'll be fine, I promise."

Her mother looked up at her doubtfully, but gave a small nod to show she understood.

Rita backed away with a reassuring smile, placing one hand on her waist while letting the other fall limp at her side, "I'll be fine, Mum, I have the blood of the great Malone's running through my veins."

That did little to ease Mrs. Malone's concern, but she was preoccupied with trying to prevent one of the younger kids from coming after Rita with a car battery and two prongs, "Shocky, put that thing away." Mrs. Malone scolded as she held up the young rat. His little legs beat in the air, as if still trying to run towards the older sis.

Rita wanted to make a comment about going to the race versus staying with the kids, but thought better of it. Instead, she turned on her heels and walked towards the front door to make a few adjustments to the Dodger. This was one race that she _had _to win.

"Bumba-deeda bumba-deeda bumba-deeda-deeda"

"Happy traaaails, to you…until we meet again."

Rita waved the slugs off with her hand and they kept the music down to a minimum, humming instead a little tune that would help her to relax. She was currently adjusting the ties on the buoys, to make sure they were secured. She gave one final pull and stood up to survey her work, smacking her hands together as she confirmed the job. The Jammy Dodger was in great shape. She even polished some of the sides to give it a newer look, usually she didn't fret with things like that, but this was a special occasion.

"It looks great, Rita!"

"Whoa!" Rita jumped as her father's voice echoed through the dark sewer tunnel, and she nearly lost her balance. However, he reached out and grabbed her arm just before she could fall into the grimy water. Mr. Malone pulled her back onto the boat. Rita sighed in relief and held her hand over her heart.

"That was close…" her dad chuckled and she elbowed him gently, "Hey, I could've gotten eaten by the piranha, and it would've been your fault."

"What piranha?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"I don't know." Rita shrugged, "just thought I would be a little dramatic."

Mr. Malone chuckled and turned to get out of the boat. His daughter's emerald eyes sparkled with an impish light. She snuck up behind him, crouched down, and leapt at his back in order to wrap her arms around his shoulders. He shouted in surprise and she leaned backwards, causing them both to fall to the deck of the boat. Mr. Malone laughed as she broke his fall and he turned before pinning her arms down, his countenance that of victory.

"How's that working for ya?" he inquired as she tried pushing up against his arms. She grunted as she fought against the force.

Finally, after a few minutes of ineffective struggling, she finally gave up and released a sigh as she relaxed against the ground, "That's not fair, you're much larger than me…" she muttered.

Mr. Malone chortled and released his grip, "Well, you were asking for it, you snuck up on me first. If you would've been smart and leapt away when we fell, you probably wouldn't have gotten beaten so badly."

"So…next time I should use my agility?" she inquired, trying to cover up her curious tone with a more innocent one. She had used her speed against the thugs, but Dad didn't need to know that.

"It's your strong point. Until you grow strong enough to overcome someone twice your size, you should stick with that."

She was about to say "thanks" but thought better of it. Mr. Malone only knew that she wrestled against him and only him. If she gave that away, she could kiss the chance of going out on her own goodbye.

"Umm, Dad…"

He turned around and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, my girl?"

Rita gave a sheepish smile and looked down at her foot, which was twirling back and forth upon the ground, "I just wanted to say…thanks a lot for letting me work with you. You're the best." She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting the side of her face against his chest, "I love you Dad."

"I love you too, Rita."

He kissed her gently on the forehead and broke away from the hug in order to disembark from the Jammy Dodger. Rita rubbed her brow where he kissed her and flushed in embarrassment when she noticed that some of the slugs were looking at her with gazes that clearly said "awwwww".

Even when she walked inside, the small beady eyes of her younger siblings gazed up at her, as if proclaiming her as a brown nose. Well, a figurative one anyway. It didn't daunt her though; she always had a close relationship with her Dad, ever since she first learned to drive the Dodger eight years ago.

When supper was over and she helped Mrs. Malone with the dishes, she thought about the big race that would occur the next morning. As she looked up at a digital watch that they used as a clock, she noticed that it was around 7:00 pm, which meant that she was going to go straight to bed after she was done with the chores. She wanted to wake up early enough so that she could leave the house before anyone else was awake. Her mother thought that it would be in a few weeks, just a little trick Rita had to use in order to convince her to allow her to go. Events appearing on short-notice didn't go very well with Mrs. Malone.

When she dried and put away the last large bowl, she wiped her hands on the towel and began stalking towards the stairs.

"Rita!"

She paused in mid-step and sighed as she placed her foot back down on the ground. Mr. Malone came up from behind her and handed her a list, attached to which was a paper note, money…

"If you don't mind getting up in the morning, your mum has a few things she needs from the city." He winked at her and continued, "I'm sure you could use some time to yourself."

Rita stared blankly, her father knew? It appeared so as he stuck his hands in his pockets, whistling a tune while he walked towards the kitchen. Rita's features curled into a smile and she shook her head before going up the stairs, her steps a bit lighter as she did so.

Rita woke up to the silent beeping of her alarm clock, which was basically a doll's watch which was tinkered with to make it functional, and quickly pounded the sleep button with her fist. She sat up, yawned, then reached over beside the clock for her hair tie. She pulled her hair back into her favored ponytail, leapt out of bed, got changed into a black blouse and some Union Jack Flares that were slightly big on her (which didn't surprise her since she found a rat trying to get rid of them and decided she kind of liked the style), and started to sneak down the stairs.

Every step was frightening, and the creak on every step set her fur on end. It wasn't until she reached the bottom that she relaxed a bit and began to walk normally towards the door. However, the irritating beeping of the alarm met her keen ears, and she realized that she forgot to turn the alarm off.

As swift as a cat, she leapt out the front door and bounded across the dock. Furthermore, she seemed to fly into the boat, working her fingers fast on the ropes as she untied the Dodger from the dock.

"Come on Jammy!" she whispered as she pulled furiously on the starter cord, "Don't fail me now!"

The ship replied with a satisfied roar as the engine sparked to life. It took all of her self-control to not shout out in success, and she quickly ran to the front of the boat, stepped on the starting pedal, and put the ship to full throttle.

Rita could see the flickering of the house's lights as she left, but it was too late for them to stop her now. She had their only means of transportation, well, except the rubber ducky that the younger kids used for a raft, but that wasn't much of transportation.

When she drew further away from home, she whooped in glee and swerved around a buoy within the water with the greatest of ease. She owned these waters now; they were a part of her. No way could she be defeated in this race!

"Alright, Jammy, let's show these guys who the true rulers of the drains are." She said affectionately as she patted the control panel. Her fingers strayed to the compass and she tapped it with her forefinger, "Lead the way, old mate."

Sid peered behind the alley wall with narrowed eyes as he watched the Toad speaking with some of his cohorts. He had been watching them for some time now, and figured that they were up to no good. He noticed that some of the henchrats had boats of their own, and were told to compete in the race. Only a few others showed up here and there, but it appeared as if the race was sponsored, run, and controlled by the autocratic amphibian.

"Boy, this isn't good." He whispered as he wiped a smudge of chocolate from his face and licked his finger, out of habit, "So, is this some kind of set up? It sure smells like one." His nose twitched unconsciously, "This Toad guy is worse than Wolfgang and his thugs." That reminded him, where was Rita? Surely if there was a boat race, _she_ would be interested.

He was right, just as he thought that, the Jammy Dodger soon pulled into place beside a sleek, black power-boat, obviously belonging to some kid before the rats took it and made it their own. Now it was a speed demon, surely a better ship then the Dodger.

Sid shook his head, if he knew Rita, nothing was more fierce then her and her ship. She was more frightening onboard than any of the rats that the Toad spoke to.

"Is the trap ready?"

The Toad's voice came in clearly, even though he spoke in a barely audible whisper. It confused Sid, but he tried not to think to hard on it. (XD)

A small rat with hair spiked towards the back of his head spoke aloud, "Yes boss, it's all set, with the spikes and everything!" the Toad glared at him and the rat twitched an eye and continued in a softer voice, "Right at the U-turn, just as you said."

The toad grinned and turned one eye towards the ships at the starting line, but kept the other on his lackey, "Good, I see a few scavengers there that I can do away with. I know that a great treasure will come down the sewers one of these days, and I can add it to my diverting collection." He made a motion towards the Flood Gate control center.

"Spike, the helicopter's ready, let's go watch the race!"

Sid turned to see a large, white rat standing beside a helicopter decorated with a large symbol of a hawk on its side.

The Toad hopped towards a podium and began to speak, though Sid was too distracted by the helicopter to hear what he had said. However, a few slugs slid slowly in front of the platform and all opened their mouths in unison, and a loud 'BANG' echoed through the city

At once, the boats were off, and Sid cried out as Rita's ship took the lead. He was jostled around by the crowd as they tried to see what was going on.

He should have warned her about the trap, and now she was heading right for it! He slapped his forehead in his stupidity and watched, helplessly, as the boats and the helicopter, fled from view.

Rita and the Dodger arrived at the starting line, just as a large crowd of rats gathered around the streets. She was making last minute adjustments to the controls, and was trying to ignore the dark looks that a rat with a thimble on his nose continued to give her. She was here to win, and wasn't going to be dissuaded by some threatening looking rat.

The irritating screech of a microphone malfunctioning turned her attention towards a podium on the city square. She had glanced at it half-heartedly, but now as she saw who was walking up to it, the color faded from her cheeks and her heart did summersaults within her chest.

The tall, well-dressed figure before her was none other then the Toad himself, the one who caused her so much grief and frustration in all of her findings. She felt like throwing the Dodger in reverse and leaving the race, but his calm composure stirred up the rage inside of her. This was her chance to prove herself. Win this race, and she could be on easy street with an award that would give Mum and Dad everything that they needed. She couldn't back out now, not when she worked herself up so much that she actually polished the entire hull of the Dodger in order for its great appearance.

No, even as the slugs slowly inched to the front of the stand, she didn't again think of backing off.

As they moved, the Toad gave a large speech about why they were here, what kind of race was about to unfold, and what the prize was. She only half listened, keeping her green eyes focused upon the signal slugs. She waited for the ear-splitting signal, and immediately shoved down the pedal and threw up the throttle in order for the Jammy Dodger to burst forth through the dank water.

She thought she had heard a familiar voice calling out, but she couldn't concentrate on that right now. Instead, she kept her eye on the boat behind her, the black motorboat, and continued to swerve back and forth in tight motions to keep it from passing her.

She couldn't keep it up for long and soon the boat was up right next to her. The semi-masked racer steered his boat closer to the port side of her own and the two were side by side, moving at exactly the same speed as one another.

However, the other boat had a hidden surprise, and a pocketknife whipped out from a compartment in the speedboat's side and struck the side of the Dodger, slicing a large gash in the tin cooler. Luckily, the cut was just above the water, and only a bit leaked through.

"You Thimblenosed Toe Rag!" Rita bellowed as she reached over towards the mechanical arm controls and forced it over towards him. The metallic appendage lowered down towards the knife, grabbed it firmly, and Rita pulled the arm upwards, causing the weapon to unleash itself from its compartment. The hand pulled back and threw the knife as hard as it could to the side of the tunnel, causing it to skid upon the sidewalk, sending a cascade of sparks flying everywhere as it slid.

She tried forcing the lever even further to try and speed up the Dodger, but it was no use. It was still going the same speed as Thimblenose's, and she was unable to pull ahead.

A turn came, not very sharp of one, but as Rita rounded it, the black ship pulled forward and the dark laughter of the rat controlling it met her ears. She growled softly and looked behind her, to see a white and black striped shoebox on rudders coming towards her.

A crossbow bolt, composed of a needle with a fake feather attached to it, landed in the dashboard, inches from where her arm was. She turned her head to see a rat in white clothes reloading another missile, and she desperately pulled at the steering wheel of the Dodger, causing the projectile to embed itself in a wall nearby.

"Come on Jammy, let's see what you've got…" she flipped a switch above the compass and a hidden slot on the side of the Dodger slowly opened, releasing a long jump-rope that slithered in the water like a thick snake. Rita lowered the mechanical hand to grasp the rope in the silver fingers and whipped the rope back and forth, first sending a spray of water at the following ship. As the hand moved quicker and quicker, the edge of the rope soon struck the nose of the boat, sending it flying back against the wall.

Rita allowed the hand to release the rope so it could slide back into the Dodger, and started to watch the area before her. A few new obstacles barred her way and she easily slid around them, noticing that Thimblenose's vehicle was not too far ahead. She continued to glance back and forth from the ship before her, to the small compartment above that showed the words "Danger! Red Button!"

Her father had warned her to never EVER use that button unless it was a complete emergency. Unfortunately, he never told her what it did, so if she felt like using it, she might be doing more harm than good.

However, the other ship was clearly going faster than the Dodger could ever go, and she didn't want to deal with anymore surprises that might have come from behind.

Taking in a deep breath, she opened the hatch of the infamous red button, held back a chuckle from seeing that it was literally a red button, and struck her hand upon it.

At first, nothing seemed to happen, but a whirring sound came from below and a fire extinguisher beneath the Dodger went off, sending the boat careening down the tunnel at incredible speeds. It took no time at all to pass the black boat, and Rita stuck her tongue out and wagged a few fingers at the henchrat as she passed him by. She whooped for joy as lost him at a small curve, and a plastic bag shot out from behind the Dodger's name plate to slow down the ship. She continued to keep it in full throttle, however, in case the rats had some other plans up their sleeves.

As Rita looked around, she began to feel that everything was familiar to her. Yeah, she had been this way before not too long ago, when she was trying to keep her coin safe from Spike and Whitey.

And this was where the U-turn was…

She saw it now, a sharp bend in the sewer that led to who-knows-where, and it was coming up fast. She tried slowing down the Dodger, but its momentum continued to carry the ship forward, right towards the upcoming wall.

"Come on Jammy!"

She cranked on the wheel, just as she had before to try and make the turn, but met with the same result. The boat skidded sideways in the water, sent up spray as it whip lashed towards the brick wall, and crashed into the sidewalk with a sickening 'thud'.

Rita was able to catch sight of multiple, silver stakes that fell in the water right in the middle of the U-turn, where the boat would have been if she had made it through. She fell against the sides of the boat, but managed to keep herself up, and was completely shocked from the sight. The large spikes were jutting from below the river, sticking up above the water and gleaming dangerously in whatever light that came into the tunnel.

A sick feeling came to her stomach as she realized that that could've been the Dodger and her, and as her eyes darted to the other side, she saw a strange contraption, composed of a rope and a pulley. Two sets of wheels, one on the top, one on the bottom, held the rope which was connected to a box up above marked "Kitchen Knives". The long rope had been stretched across not to far from there, acting as a sort of tripwire for the trap.

"Oh my gosh…" she whispered, "This was all a set up…" she fell to the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees, feeling her heart beating wildly within her, "I fell for it, I should've left when I saw the Toad, but I fell for it…"

She shook her head and smacked herself in the face. She realized what she was saying, and she needed it to stop, "No, Rita, you're not going to go into a self-pity mode. Right now I have to get out of here with the Dodger, maybe I can warn the other boats that don't contain henchrats and prevent this from happening.

As she stood up, she gave a sharp nod, as if confirming her own actions, and started up the Jammy Dodger once more, it having stalled in the crash. Right now she could feel some water lapping at her shoes, and she remembered the damage to the boat. She couldn't deal with it now; she had to warn the other racers in case additional traps were set like that.

She navigated the Dodger around the knives, and a shudder ran through her every time she saw the sharp edges. When she was in the safety zone, she boosted the Dodger to full power, and traveled back towards the racers…

To her surprise, no one was there on her way back. She didn't see any of the other racers, nor the henchmen. This gave her a sense of foreboding, and she kept a wary eye out in case of another trap. Were they only after her? Or did they already take out the other racers with the weapons concealed in their ships? She couldn't figure it out, and even as she made it to the city, she saw no one there.

"Strange…" she whispered as she steered the ship through the empty streets, "It's as if everyone completely vanished from here…"

She had not known that the end of the race was just a few tunnels away from where the U-turn was, and that everyone was waiting with bated breath to see who the victor was. Unfortunately, it was the henchrats that succeeded.

Rita pulled the boat into the dock and was met by the arms of her frightened parents. They had seen her pale composure, and noticed her silence, and took it as a bad sign and brought her inside immediately.

_How could I tell them what I did? _She asked herself as she looked down, feeling the comforting blanket upon her shoulders and adjusting it slightly to cover her shaking arms, _It was stupid of me, but I swear, it won't happen again…_

She knew that it wasn't going to be an easy promise to keep, and knew that she would probably break it in the next day or so, but right now, she just wanted to rest, in the comfort and safety of her own home.

"I'm sorry Mum…" She whispered as she closed her eyes and fell asleep against her mother's shoulder.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to DreamWorks entertainment. _

**Chapter 5: The Seer**

"So Rita, are you going to tell us what happened yesterday, or are we going to have to keep bugging you about it?"

Rita ignored Liam's question, and impaled a macaroni noodle with her fork while she stared absentmindedly at her plate. Everyone in the household was curious as to what went wrong that frightening morning, but she remained silent, knowing that she might be in huge trouble with her mother if she revealed what happened. Yes, the large cut on the side of the Dodger was a dead giveaway, but her father told her not to worry about it, that he could fix it up in no time. He explained to his wife that it was probably from the ship rubbing against the sides of a tunnel.

Mr. Malone was the only one who knew about the incident besides her. Rita had explained the whole situation to him, knowing that he wouldn't go and tell Mum about it. He understood, and said that as long as she learned her lesson, no harm was done.

"Gosh it's nice to have an understanding Dad." She whispered as she prodded another piece of pasta onto her fork.

"What was that?" her brother asked as he leaned closer with a hand held behind his ear.

Rita smacked his arm with the back side of her hand and he sniggered in response. Couldn't he just leave her alone for five minutes? She sighed, stuffed the macaroni into her mouth, and rose up from the table. Turning away, she sucked in her stomach as Shocky and Russell ran by and continued on her way towards the door, hoping to get a bit of fresh air in order to be lost in the vast labyrinth of her thoughts.

When she walked out into the dark tunnel, she slowly strode towards her ship, humming a slight tune to take her mind off of the deadly race. At least she was in once piece. So was the Dodger…well sort of…

She had to take a moment to survey the damage that the tough vessel took. The scratch in the side stretched a few feet, and it started slightly before the middle of the boat. Small flakes of metal chips stuck out at random positions from the edges of the gash, some of which fell into the dark water below. The cut itself was just a few centimeters thick, obviously something that could be taken care with some caulk and paint.

A few slugs slowly inched forward with a large tube resting on their slimy backs. They moved in perfect synchronization, so as to keep the cylindrical object from rolling off.

Rita gratefully took the large tube of caulk into her hands and pulled the handle of the pump back with one hand, while holding onto the bottom of the tube with the other. She slowly began to push the pump forward against the force of the strange gray material, and her hand shook with the strength she had to use. The tremor ran up her arm, but soon, she moved the plastic funnel along the sliced tin and allowed the caulk to fill the holes.

When the hole was cemented shut, she set the large canister down and knelt down to check for any holes or cracks that she might have missed. Then, satisfied with her work, she climbed out of the Dodger and sat upon the dock, her arms resting over her crossed legs.

"I think I did pretty well, don't you?" she asked a slug who was just creeping its way up the post to which the Dodger was tied to, "I just have to paint over it and it'll be as good as new!"

The slug nodded softly and turned its beady eyes to the ship, before he grinned, "So you're the one I heard about!"

Rita blinked and looked over at him, "Excuse me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, "What was that?"

The slug slowly crawled down the post to stand at her side, "I heard that you were in the boat race and survived the henchrats trap. A lot of the other contenders couldn't even get past the ships that they had. The whole thing was a disaster!" he emphasized the last word so greatly, that his eyes grew twice their size.

Rita groaned and rested her chin on her hand, "Yeah…it surely was."

Both of them sighed in unison as they stared at the Jammy Dodger. After a few moments of silence, Rita found the courage to speak up again.

"Erm…What happened, at the end of the race?" she asked, her green eyes turning to the slug, "and what was with the helicopter that Spike and Whitey were flying in?"

The slug's eyes grew a bit hazy, as he recounted the event.

"Well, apparently the helicopter was used to film the entire race for the Toad's own amusement. He's a sick one, that's for sure." The slug's eyes closed and he continued, "Well, of course only the Henchrats made it to the finish line, and the Toad gave a bit of a speech about how great the winner was, and how the losers were still caught behind. Every spectator got tired of waiting for you other contestants and soon went home. Apparently, the Toad got what he wanted."

"And what's that?" Rita asked, dreading the answer.

The slug's eyes turned back to their normal shade and he sighed, "He got rid of the scavengers that would steal 'his treasure', and he wasn't hated for doing so."

Rita took this in as a challenge to her, and she stood up with her fingers tightened into a fist, "Well, he didn't get rid of me, and I'll say that whatever treasure that this guy's after, I'll be sure that he never finds it!"

The slug beamed brightly, "I'm glad to hear that! I know you, and I know that a band of feral cats can't stop you from achieving your goals."

"Well, feral cats are easy." Rita laughed, "It's the domesticated ones you have to worry about."

"And why's that?" the slug asked,

The rat shrugged and reached a hand behind her head to tug gently on the ribbon that bound her hair, "I'm not sure, I guess they must be trained by their owners or something. They usually catch mice and rats in order to get a treat from their masters."

The slug shivered, "I can't imagine being owned by an Up-Topper. Why would you want to live serving one of those large creatures?"

"I'm not sure." Rita muttered as she untied her hair and put it up in a neater fashion, "I haven't met someone who was a human's pet. Mum did, though she hadn't said much about him."

The slug's shoulders seemed to rise in a shrug and he looked at the Dodger, admiring the sea craft, "Well, maybe someday you'll meet a rat like that, and learn what it's like to live as such." He laughed, "You never know what fate can bring up."

Rita smiled, reached down to pat the slug on the head, and started to walk across the dock, "Well, I have to get going now, mate. I have to wait for the caulk to harden, and then I'm going to have to paint over it." She exhaled deeply, "I just hope that it'll be enough to cover up the slice. The Dodger's been my best companion through these waters, aside from Dad of course, and I want to make sure it looks as good as new."

The slug waved one of the stems of his eyes as she left and he slowly began to proceed to climb down from the dock into the water. He gave a quick shake of his tail and he was off, swimming slowly across the olive waters.

* * *

"Hmm, the paint worked well."

Mr. Malone examined the side of the boat, running a large hand across the smooth hull. The red stripe had completely covered the clogging material; even on the inside of the ship it was unnoticeable.

"Yeah it did," Rita said with a grin as her heart lifted from her father's approval. Her patience had paid off, and now the Dodger looked as good as new. Its polished sides gleamed gently in the porch lights. It was almost impossible to tell that it had been in any race at all.

"You know, I'm still kind of disappointed in you…"

Those words struck her like a hammer, which, like the vibrations in the handle, coursed through her entire body, surging a hot feeling through her veins which never seemed to go away. She didn't know why this was so, but he sounded so serious…

"I know that you haven't been the most truthful to your mother, and yes, I know that I haven't either, but you do know that she means the best for you." His tone was solemn, and he turned his somber eyes to her, "I don't think you've been treating her with the kind of respect she deserves. I know she can be a bit testy and overprotective sometimes, but just think about the situation she's dealing with."

Rita did, and found it hard to look into her dad's eyes. She hadn't thought much about the pressures of raising so many kids at one time, most of them barely able to talk. Then there was Granny to take care of, and the newer members of the family. It must have taken a great toll upon Mum. And then there was Rita herself, going out in the Dodger for days on end, trying to provide enough for the family to live on. Yes, Dad did do some of the work, but Rita herself had become even a better scavenger then he, so she was the one who was always gone from home.

"Gosh…I never realized…" she cast her eyes downwards and felt her throat constricting. She knew that the feeling would go away if she unleashed the tears from her eyes, but she couldn't let Mr. Malone see her. She was always the strong, tough child who relied only on herself. Instead, she painfully swallowed and continued, "I'm sorry, and from now on I'll try to be more truthful, but I just don't want her to keep me from doing what I love. I need adventure and danger in my life, it's what keeps me from getting bored in these sewers, and it's what I was born to do."

She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder and she lifted her eyes to see her Dad's gleaming eyes, he was also trying to fight back tears, "I know you were, but, just be a bit more honest and caring towards your mother. She truly loves you with all of her heart, and she fears for you every time you go out on your own."

Rita nodded sympathetically and, without warning, draped her arms around her father's neck, "I know she does, and I'll make sure her fears about me don't become a reality. I'll try harder to draw the line on the risks I take, however hard that may be…Being the danger magnet that I am."

She felt her father's stomach shaking, and she thought he was crying, but instead his laughter met her ears as he held her tightly in a large hug, "Yeah, good luck with that, my girl. Remember, I won't always be here to bail you out if you get into trouble. You're on your own in this large world." He released his grip, placed his hands upon her shoulders, and held her back, "Just keep that Malone blood pumping through your veins and you'll be fine. What with my strength and your mother's feistiness, you have something going for you."

Rita grinned and backed away, "I won't let you down, sir, I promise I will be a bit more responsible from now on." she shot a wad of spit into her hand and held it out to him. Mr. Malone complied by doing the same motion and slapping his hand against hers. They both shook on it and nodded, the deal set in spit, before climbing out of the Dodger to walk into the house. They could smell supper baking, and Rita knew that the one who made it was the second most important figure in her life, and with that knowledge, she pursed her lips and whistled a happy tune.

* * *

The low buzz of the city was a slight source of comfort to Rita as she walked along the streets, her hand in her pocket, fingering the green notes within. Mr. Malone had told her to take the day off, to spend some time in Ratropolis in order to keep her mind off her mistake.

Some places were putting up signs for a carnival that was coming in just a few days. Brightly colored posters and ribbons hung everywhere from preparation for the large event. Even old Pegleg exchanged his yellow rain hat for a colorful cap. It looked kind of strange on the pirate-like fellow, but he obviously didn't mind.

As Rita passed the alley where she had fought the gang a few days earlier, she couldn't help but smile fondly at the memory. It felt good to help Sid out, and felt even better when she totally whipped the tails of those muscle-headed freaks. She tried imagining them trying to admit that they were defeated by a mere girl, but found it impossible to do.

"Those cowards would probably just twist the truth a bit…" she muttered softly as she closed her eyes in thought, "Probably say that I was a two ton football player who caught them off-guard in a sneak attack. It sounds like something they'd do."

"Would we now?"

Rita froze in her tracks as the familiar voice barked out the question. She made a one-eighty turn using the back of her heel in order to stand face to face with the burly thug.

"Heh…erm…" she looked every which way to find means of escape, but the gang had made a circle around her, and all looked ready to kill, "Can't we just talk about this?" she inquired as she backed up a bit.

"We don't need to talk!" Wolfgang shouted as he cracked the bones in one of his fists against his other hand, "You know very well why we're here, and it's not because we want you to join our gang."

The other thugs snickered and Rita gasped as a strong set of hands enclosed over her arms, and she felt her back press against the chest of her captor.

The thugs started to advance on her, and she quickly took in her surroundings. They were near the alley where she fought them before, the gangster held her elbows to keep her still, and Wolfgang was coming nearer…

As soon as the gang leader pulled his arm back for a blow, Rita lifted her leg so his fist would slam against her foot, which was tightly braced for the impact. She then used the fist to lift herself upwards into the air while she bent her elbows, causing the thug holding her to lose his grip so she could flip over above his head.

She landed right behind the dazed rat and sent a kick right at his back, causing him to trip forward, but he didn't fall. She then jumped onto his back, then leapt at Wolfgang with her foot outstretched, causing it to slam right into his face.

She dashed into the alley while the gang tried to get their bearings and mentally applauded herself for her fighting skills. However, she hadn't realized that there was a dead end at the alley until it was too late.

"Hey, I think she went this way!"

She heard them coming into the alley, and she noticed a dusty curtain over a doorway to her right. She quickly ran in, and then slid the star-decorated cloth behind her, hoping that the thugs wouldn't find it.

"Who disturbs Madame Ophelia in her dark domain?"

The mystical voice caught Rita off guard, and she whipped around to see a wizened old lady standing before a table. She had entered a room lit by a group of black birthday candles that were scattered throughout the room. The flames cast a flickering light upon the elderly woman before her.

"Umm…I'm just trying to hide from a bunch of creeps that are after me, I didn't mean to barge in like this."

"Of course you did…" the lady said, her voice cracking from age, "Otherwise you wouldn't be here. Besides, I foretold your arrival."

"Foretold?" Rita asked in disbelief, "You mean you're a fortune teller?"

"Of sorts…" Ophelia reached out an unsteady hand to pull a chair at her side so that she could sit comfortably, "I can only see tidbits of events that may or may not happen in the future. It all depends on how you live your life."

Grinning in disbelief, Rita drew out a note from her pocket, sat in a chair before the table, and passed the woman the money, "Well, I have the time, and you look like you could use this more than I can." She motioned with her hand, "So please tell."

Ophelia smiled in appreciation and ran her hand over a smooth sphere before her, "This is my magic tiger's eye. It will allow me to peer into your future."

The sphere itself was a transparent orange with a black swirl within the middle. It looked like a human marble…exactly like a human marble. Rita kept her thoughts to herself, however, and let the woman continue.

"I see within the fog, a figure reaching out towards an unseen object. I can see it trying harder and harder to reach it. It's grabbing it now, and now the misty form is falling endlessly down a dark tunnel."

Rita's eyebrow rose in bewilderment, yet the lady continued.

"I now see a conquered fear, a ship moving through a tunnel, and turning along its side."

"The U-Turn…" Rita muttered. The lady shrugged and went on with her prediction.

"I see the loss of something dear to you, something that will fall into a watery grave."

The younger rat pondered this, but shrugged and motioned for her to finish.

"And I see a new love. A rat that comes from a world far different from your own."

"Ha!"

Rita slapped her hand over her mouth when the laugh came out. She couldn't help it. Thinking of falling in love with someone? It definitely didn't seem like something she would do. Not when she had a family to take care of and a reputation to keep.

"Is there something funny?" Ophelia asked, her tone one of complete seriousness.

"No, not at all," came the covered up reply as Rita rubbed the back of her head with her hand, "I'm just not someone who seems able to fall in love."

The lady shrugged, "What I saw I saw. But you can find out later. Thank you for your time, and I'm sorry I have to let you go so soon, but my crumpets are burning in the toaster…"

Rita's snout twitched as she scented the overcooked food, and she waved the comment aside, "It's fine, I think it's safe to go out now." She grinned, "Thanks for the reading; it was really quite…interesting."

The lady waved the comment aside, "It was nothing. I just hope you have a pleasant day. Don't be such a stranger; I usually don't have visitors often." She turned towards a door near the back, "You can let yourself out. Once again, thank you, and come back soon."

Rita nodded and turned around. She peered around the old curtain to see if the gang was gone. At the sight of the empty alleyway, she brushed her hands off against her pants and walked outside, contemplating the words that the woman spoke to her.


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to DreamWorks entertainment, as well as Aardman._

**Chapter 6: Carnival Mayhem**

The Malone household was horrifyingly boisterous come carnival morning. All of the younger children were wound up from the excitement shown by the older siblings, and Granny Malone was screaming aloud, saying that she was seeing Tom Jones wherever she looked and would occasionally grab a grandchild in a choking squeeze.

Rita tried her best to avoid the chaos by refueling the Dodger with a small makeshift gas tank that her dad had created. The boat seemed to bob a bit in the water, as if it was enjoying the new source of its energy, and the mechanical hand had suddenly gone into a thumbs-up position.

"Very funny, Liam…" she muttered softly to her younger brother, who was messing around with the controls.

"Hey, I was just giving you a morale boost. You don't have to be so snippy about it."

Rita gave a low growl which signaled that he had better leave or he would be swimming with the fishes, literally.

"Okay, I'm out of the boat." Liam said as he lifted one leg over the Dodger's side, "I'll leave you with your beloved ship now."

He ran out of sight before the doll head that Rita hurled could hit him.

"Ugh…he can be such a pain…" she mumbled as she removed the funnel from the gas tank and twisted the cap back on. Granted, she loved her little brother, but like all little bro's, he could be a major pain in the butt.

"So, is the Dodger all set?"

Rita turned swiftly around and smiled at Mr. Malone, "Yup, all we need is a bunch of hyper active kids and three adults and we're all set. She closed her eyes and laughed, "I guess we're all a bit excited for this day."

He nodded and folded his arms over his chest as he surveyed the Dodger, "Well, by all means I think you should bring us in. You're a great captain, and I'll have my hands full on keeping the kids in line." He chortled, "We've got so many kids it's hard to keep track of them all. I can barely remember all of their names anymore."

Rita elbowed him softly on the arm, "Yeah, soon enough you'll be calling me Annie or Russell. That's the last thing you need, forgetting the name of you're very first child."

He lifted his hands in defeat, "Hey, you never know, just get ready to leave, okay Jojo?"

She planted a mock punch in his side, hearing his cheerful laughter as he went back inside to get everything else set. Her eyes began to dart back and forth from different places on the Dodger, as if checking to see if everything was put away so that none of the younger ones would get their hands on small items. They were a pretty rowdy bunch, and all of them would put anything in their mouths if they thought it looked like candy.

"Ah, almost forgot about this." Rita reached out to a cabinet on the wall within the cabin and held the shining, silver paperclip in her hands. She half-heartedly shoved it in her back pocket and nodded her head in approval.

Within minutes, a flood of young ones flew at the side of the boat, their little arms and legs trying their best to push the rest of their bodies into the boat. Rita reached down and began to help a few of them, and soon her parents and Granny Malone were there to assist as well. As more space was taken up, Rita maneuvered through the excited children in order to get back to her position as the skipper. Her father pulled on the starter cord, and soon they were off, a large family riding on one small, homemade boat.

Within minutes, the sewers were filled with the echoes of whines coming from every child ten years old and younger on board the ship. Rita's nerves were shot as she leaned over the steering wheel, her shoulders hunched over, and her teeth clamped tightly together. The multiple cries of "Are we there yet?" and "I want to go on a ride now!" were enough to make her head pound and her hands shake. Thankfully, they were only a few minutes away from Ratropolis, because otherwise she would use that trusty mechanical hand that was just begging to be unleashed upon the irritating swarm.

"Oi…just a few minutes…just…a few…minutes."

Sweet relief flowed through her as the Dodger made the final turn into the very first intersection of the city. It was this road that led to the docks nearby, and this caused a hush to fall upon the once noisy crowd upon the ship. Rita took her time pulling into an open lot, relishing the silence, and turned the throttle to the lowest setting, allowing the ship to rumble it's satisfaction before it turned off.

The youngsters were already teeming out of the ship in an endless wave of many colors. It took all of the adults' time in order to round them up and separate the kids in order to keep the younger ones with them, and maybe pile some others on the older kids.

Luckily, Rita made her stealthy escape before she could be assigned to a child and she whistled softly as she took in her surroundings.

The bright colors and flashing lights were all over Ratropolis now. Giant rides such as roller coasters and a Ferris Wheel caught the attention of every child who walked in the city. Snack stands on the sides of the streets, dressed in multi colored cloths, held occupants who were willing to offer their delicious creations to whoever passed by. Rita stood and placed a hand on one hip as she saw Sid buying a stick covered in cotton candy, and she whistled in order to get his attention.

"Hey, Rita!" The larger rat shuffled over to her, taking a large bite from the fluffy pink treat, "Mhow are mou dohing today?"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "I can't really understand you when you talk like that, how about getting rid of the contents in your mouth before talking to me?"

He gave her a confused look, then a light turned on in his brain and he swallowed the food down with little difficulty and laughed, "I asked how you're doing today, me old pal! He smacked her lightly on the back and held the stick of fluff towards her, "Want some? I still owe you from saving my skin not too long ago."

Rita pushed the stick back to him and shook her head, "No thanks, and you don't owe me anything."

He sighed and his countenance grew bright once again, "I heard about the race, I'm glad you made it out okay. I wanted to warn you about the trap before hand, I overheard the Toad and his cronies talking about it." He frowned and looked down, "I could've helped you out, but I failed at that."

Rita placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "No, it's fine. It wasn't your fault that I was stupid enough to not back out ahead of time. Just don't fret on it, okay?"

Sid bobbed his head and brushed away a pink strand of cotton from his leather jacket, "You know me, I'll probably forget about it sooner or later."

"That you will," Rita said in agreement before pointing a thumb behind her, "What do you say about a little go-'round, see what we can do. I have a few pounds burning a hole in my pocket."

The sewer rat threw an arm over her shoulder and thrust his finger towards the busy streets, "I couldn't agree more, mate, let's show these carneys how us Ratropolians party!"

* * *

"Come on, Wolfgang, you can hit that bell!"

Rita paused in her tracks as she saw the gang circled around the Strength Game. The leader of the group slammed the mallet down on the spring, and the lead weight lifted up half way before crashing down uselessly on the bottom.

After surveying the area, Rita noticed that Officer Collins, the town policeman, was not too far away. This meant that the thugs wouldn't try anything that would get them in trouble.

"Hey guys, let a girl have a turn."

They all turned simultaneously, and she couldn't help but grin at their fuming, red faces.

Wolfgang stepped forward and Rita motioned towards the officer, who gave her a friendly wave, "I wouldn't try anything if I were you. Unlike you guys, I'm on the cop's good side."

Wolfgang gritted his teeth in annoyance and shoved the mallet towards her, "Go ahead, but I highly doubt that you can ring the bell."

Rita grinned. On the contrary, she had learned about the different pressure points on the spring, and she knew where to hit it where it was the most effective. She placed the mallet on the ground and paid for a go, receiving a nod from the carney that it was okay for her, and then she slowly lifted the hammer.

Concentrating on a certain point, she lifted the mallet high into the air and let it come crashing down onto the spiral wire. The pump sent the lead weight soaring towards the top, and with a satisfying ring, the bell resounded throughout the park.

"And we got ourselves a winner!"

The carnival rat's voice rang out as clear as the bell, and Rita took pleasure in the shocked faces that were planted on every one of the thugs' faces.

He was about to offer her a prize, but she just waved it off and motioned to Wolfgang, "I'm sure he wants a small stuffed animal," she laughed as she turned, "He was trying so hard to get it."

Sid gave her a high-five and his laugh pierced through the noisy din of the carnival. Rita knew he enjoyed every moment of their humiliation. Someone had to pay them back.

As they continued walking, Rita noticed a game where two rope ladders were suspended between a stand on the ground and a wall, where a similar bell was located. The two paused to watch some kids struggle to get to the top, but the ladder would occasionally spin and cause them to fall onto the soft padding that was left on the ground. She studied this ladder, and pictured herself climbing it where a great treasure was located at the end.

"Hey, that roller coaster looks great! Let's check it out!" Sid exclaimed as he finished the last bite of cotton candy and half heartedly threw the stick into a garbage can nearby.

Rita shrugged and paused so he could step ahead, "You lead the way. I'm right behind you."

They arrived shortly at the line for the roller coaster, and had to wait almost an hour before getting on (XD). As they buckled themselves in, Rita gazed down at the ground from high above and smiled before leaning back against the seat. The entire city was below them, bustling about. Even Harold was walking around, chattering non-stop about the end of the world and whatnot. Rita rolled her eyes and shook her head, beaming at his antics.

_Click, click, click._

The car began to slowly creep up the line of plastic rails as the chains beneath whirred and rotated in order to push the coaster up the mountainous angle. Rita peered over the edge of her seat, feeling her heart pound slightly faster as she gazed down at the city streets. Soon, the roller coaster met the pinnacle of the curve, and without warning, the car began to roll down the hill, gaining momentum as it sped faster and faster.

"Yaaahhhooooo!" Rita shouted as she braced her arms against the metal bar that rested before her. She felt the wind blowing against her fur and felt a few locks of hair fall across her face, disturbed by the sudden change of gravity. Her stomach jolted at each twist and turn of the ride, and she left it behind every loop that they hit. It was like riding on the Dodger in its turbo mode, only a bit more fun and exciting (especially when she wasn't in desperation of winning a race).

When the coaster pulled to a stop in the holding dock, Rita stepped out and rubbed her head from the slight dizziness she received from being on her feet again. Sid came in from behind her, staggering around like a drunken fool, and leaned against her shoulder, "Blimey, that was a great run!" he slowly began to shake it off and managed to stagger along on his own, "I'm going to go again, how 'bout you?"

She laughed and shook her head, adjusting the loose pieces of hair to place them back in the tie, "Nah, I need to walk around a bit to recover from that last ride. That was really something."

"Alright me old cream cracker, I'll see ya later!" Sid gave her a small salute before running off to the roller coaster line again.

"Man, that kid…" Rita muttered as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and began to stroll around the carnival. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to do, but a stand before the Toasty Buns Bakery sent out the aroma of corn dogs to tease her nose.

She bought the treat and sat upon a bench nearby and watched the many different people as they passed by. Many of them were couples swamped with hyper active kids, similar to her own family, and she occasionally caught sight of some of the ones who managed to escape the guarding eye of the adults. It was never fun to round the children up at the end of the fair, but right now, she allowed them to chase each other around the park. She didn't want to ruin their fun, as well as her own.

"So, is the ride rigged like we planned?"

"Yes, boss, we took care of it."

The two well-known voices caught Rita's attention right away and she saw in the shadows, the Toad and his two henchmen. She was in mid-bite when she heard their last few words, and she forgot to pull the stick away from her mouth as she watched and listened carefully to them.

"Great, that should be enough to send fear into every rat's heart in this terrible city! Now everyone will learn to fear me and will have to listen to what I say! Soon I will rule over Ratropolis and the Glorious Amphibian Dawn will begin!"

Rita just noticed that she was still biting onto the thin Popsicle stick and she spat it out before wiping her mouth with the back of her arm. Right away she leapt from her seat and ran as far from the alley as she could, keeping her eyes open for the ride that they had talked about.

After a few minutes of frantic searching, a creaking sound met her keen ears and she turned her head as she saw the Ferris Wheel slowly tipping downward towards the river. The screams of the riders and bystanders filled the air, and she sprinted towards the ride, which continued its slow descent en route to the water.

"Rita! Help me out here!"

She turned her attention to Mr. Malone, who was climbing using the metal bars in order to get to the kids near the bottom of the ride. She gazed up at a rod a few feet from the ground, bunched her legs beneath her, and leapt up in order to grab the steel in her hands before she could swing her legs over and wrap them around it. She managed to boost herself up and did the same in order to reach a bar a bit higher above.

When looking back from her Dad to the screaming kids in the ride, she saw that he was taking them out and bringing them down to the ground where he could set them down. Rita gazed up at the seats higher above and realized that they needed to act fast or the kids on top would be sunk, the river was deeper then it looked.

She managed to inch over to the right side while using the bar and peeked over the seat to see a small five-year-old boy staring up at her with large, frightened eyes. Rita reached in, keeping her legs entwined around the pole, and managed to pick up the kid before she was able to climb slowly down with him on her back.

She was able to bring down a few kids easily, but as she drew further up upon the ride, she heard the bars clank and groan once again. She gasped as the bars fell from beneath her and she quickly lashed out her hands and caught hold of a rim above her, which was the only thing that prevented her from falling to the greenish liquid below.

She took in a deep breath as she felt her fingers slipping from the metal and she slowly lifted her other hand and enclosed her fingers around the bar. Then, using the strength in her arms, she pulled her legs up, maneuvered them between her arms, and rested them onto the rod before she was able to pull herself up the rest of the way. This done, she sighed in relief and pulled herself up to the next section, where another kid was waiting.

The climbing grew easier as the wheel grew more horizontal to the ground, but Rita knew that time was running short. Her Dad was now bringing down the second to the last child, and one still waited up above in the highest spot on the wheel.

Without a second thought, Rita launched herself onto the shaft and started to leap up with speeds that she never showed before. She would grab a bar, get herself to stand on it, and then leap onto another, grasping it in her arms before she was able to adjust herself. Her body was sore from the thin bars, but she furrowed her brow and kept her eyes set on the seat above, bracing herself each time the ride fell another few feet.

Rita reached up for the last bar and an outraged cry broke through the noisy din. She couldn't help but turn her head to see the Toad leaping away from the scene, and she quickly threw herself up on the last pole before reaching in for the next kid, who actually turned out to be her younger, larger brother Fergus.

"Oi..." she muttered as she lifted the larger kid and allowed him to adjust his position so he could be on her back, "Hang on tight, Fergus, this is going to be a bumpy ride."

As Rita began to climb down, she felt as if she was working in slow motion. She had to lower a leg down, moving her foot until she met contact with a bar, and then had to slowly lower herself down to it. All the while the ride was falling at more rapid intervals. The ride was almost completely level with the river now, and the water was not looking pleasant. When looking back, Rita saw that only a few grappling hooks held by some male civilians were keeping her and her brother from falling in.

She was just about to push herself to her feet when a few of the ropes snapped and the top of the wheel crashed into the water. Rita gasped and scrambled along the bars towards the wall that the wheel was leaning against. The outstretched arms of her dad reached towards her, and she was about to leap forward, but she felt a strange pressure on her ankle and she fell against a few rods that crossed over each other, that were obviously there for bracing the wheel.

On looking back, Rita noticed that her ankle was caught between the corners of two bars. The water was rising fast, and she knew she had to get Fergus up to safety, unlike her, he couldn't swim.

So, grabbing his arm, she swung him over so she could place him on the pole before her. A rope fell across her arm, so she tied it around his waist and brought in the end with the hook. She held back her arm and then hurled the steel hook awkwardly towards the solid ground high above.

"Dad! Pull Fergus in!" she shouted vehemently as she tried twisting her leg free of the wheel's grip.

The rope pulled taut, and soon the young boy was slowly being pulled up to safety. His look of fear turned into an air of delight, as if he enjoyed hanging over the deep waters. However, Rita was far from joyful as the water came up to her knees. She reached down her hands so that she could try pushing it out herself.

She worked furiously at her ankle, feeling the water rise up to her neck, when a loud "_thud_" met her ears, signifying that the tip of the wheel had reached the bottom. She sighed in relief, and as she calmed herself down, she was able to shove her ankle out of the trap. Then, she slowly turned and ascended back up the wheel, taking light, delicate steps in order to avoid getting stuck and having the wheel fall from beneath her again.

As she reached her arms over the wall, and threw a leg up to get back up, she was suddenly deafened with the sound of applause. Two strong hands held her arms and assisted her in getting to her feet. When she recovered from the shock and caught hold of her bearings, she noticed that everyone in the city was standing up and clapping. She felt an arm wrap around her and felt the comforting embrace of Mr. Malone, "You did it, my girl! You're a hero!"

"A…hero?" she was still feeling a bit dazed, and she rubbed her head softly, "Ugh, I feel like I just came off of a roller coaster."

Her dad smiled and pushed her softly forward, "That's pretty close, but go on. You should accept your praise."

Rita smiled, and pulled him up beside her, "You did most of the work, you're more of a hero then I am."

He hesitated, but then nodded and held her beside him, "It looks like the Malone family might actually live up to something. I don't think I'll ever forget this day."

Rita grinned and looked back at the sunken Ferris Wheel, "Neither will I Dad." She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder, "Neither will I…"


	7. Chapter 7

**I decided to dedicate this chapter and the upcoming ones to the victims in the Virginia School shootings and their families. They will be in our prayers and thoughts as they try to get through these hard times. May the Lord shelter them with his love.**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to DreamWorks entertainment, as well as Aardman._

I noticed I had a bit of confusion to how old Rita is in these past chapters. She's actually 17 (it's mentioned, but kind of hard to spot, in the first and second chapters). She doesn't become an adult until a few more chapters, depending on how this fic goes. I just wanted to clear that up I hope you enjoy:

**Chapter 7: A Ride to Remember**

"Oi…Dad! Should we bring some rice for the trip?"

Rita held up a box in the air as an indication, and Mr. Malone turned his head away from the large box he was filling up, "Nah, we've got plenty of food. We're not going to be gone for that long."

"Ah, okay," the young rat reached up to place the food back into the cupboard and examined the other contents within. However, nothing seemed very travel-worthy, so she slapped the wooden door closed and allowed her heels to fall back to the floor.

"Rita, please try not to slam those," Mrs. Malone said as her head peeked around the kitchen door, "They have to last us a while."

"Ugh…Yes Mum…" Rita murmured as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and strode to her father's side. A warning look from him caused her to clear her throat and add, "Sorry, I'll be more careful next time."

Mrs. Malone firmed her chin and nodded softly, as if satisfied with her eldest daughter's reply. She then disappeared into the lively den, from which a loud buzzing was flowing from.

As Rita was placing a few other objects into the box, the second oldest sibling sidestepped behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"What do you want, Liam?" Rita asked in annoyance as she turned her head. Her eyes met a large newspaper article that the teen boy pushed towards her face. What caught her attention was a large picture of a large alligator resting on the side of a sewer line.

"I just wanted to tell you and Dad that there have been rumors going on about a dangerous reptile that was flushed into the sewers." Liam pulled the picture back and looked at it, "Apparently there have been a few sightings, and one rat said that they had seen someone getting eaten alive by it."

Rita rolled her eyes and watched as her brothers eyes narrowed to look at the finer print, "It says that if seen, you should notify a number and assistance will be at hand."

Groaning, Rita took the paper from Liam and crushed it in her fist, "You got to stop reading all of this junk, Liam," She let the article fall to the floor and continued, "It's obviously not a true rumor, no way is there an alligator crawling loose in the sewer."

Liam huffed in indignation and picked the crumpled paper from the ground, "Hey, if you and dad are suddenly staring down the maw of a giant monster, then don't come crying to me." He tore a piece off of the bottom and threw the rest back over his shoulder, into a trash bin made from an old floss container.

As Mr. Malone finished filling up the container, Rita grabbed it in both arms and walked into the living room, navigating around the swarm of kids. She thought she felt someone pull on her back pocket, but she ignored it, figuring it was one of the younger kids trying to steady themselves on the floor.

When she arrived at the Dodger's side, she placed the supplies onto the deck of the boat and turned to walk back in. Her mum and dad were saying their goodbyes and she stood beside them as Mr. Malone gently kissed his wife on the cheek.

"Sorry to break it up, but I have to give Mum a hug. You know we're going to be gone for a while." Rita smiled and wrapped her arms around her mother, who returned the embrace.

"You're right. So be careful now, Rita, and try to stay out of trouble. However hard that may be." Mrs. Malone beamed and kissed her daughter gently on the forehead, "And keep an eye on your Dad for me, you never know what kind of mischief he could get into." Her mum winked and gave one last hug to Mr. Malone before setting of to do a certain chore in the house. Rita felt her dad's hand against her arm, and he tugged her towards the door, away from the hustle and bustle that she learned to love so dearly.

As she boarded the Dodger, she waited for her father to enter the mighty vessel before pulling the ignition cord. She then untied the boat from the dock and turned to her dad, who stood beside the faucet handle that steered the boat. A large grin was planted on his face, and his outstretched hand indicated the wheel.

"I believe this is your post, captain." He gave her a salute, "You can steer this wonderful ship much easier then I can, and besides, I'm getting a bit old."

Rita walked forward and turned her eyes from the steering device to her father and back again. She wanted to refuse; her dad just bestowed a huge honor upon her that she didn't feel she deserved.

He had just said that the Dodger was all hers…that he would only use it whenever he needed to.

"I…I don't know what to say." She whispered as she slowly stepped up to the control panel. Even though she had done this before, this time seemed much different.

"Just say that you accept the job." Mr. Malone placed his hand upon her shoulder, "That's all I ask for. I'm very proud of you for what you did a few days ago at the carnival. That was very brave of you."

Rita chuckled nervously as she pulled the boat out from the dock, "Heh, it was more like foolishness. I don't know what got into me. I just saw you up there helping the kids and I felt like I should help out as well." She didn't add that she also wanted to show the Toad what she was made of. Some things are better left unsaid.

Mr. Malone shook his head, "No, it took guts to climb up to the top of that wheel over those waters. You deserve having ownership of this boat."

Rita smiled and turned the wheel softly to steer away from their home, "Thanks dad…I really appreciate it."

He pat her on the head, his fingers ruffling up her red hair a bit, and pointed to the tunnel ahead, "Let's get to work, my girl. We've got plenty to do in such a short amount of time."

Rita gave a brisk nod and cranked up the throttle, allowing the Jammy Dodger to burst forth on the gentle river.

* * *

The Jammy Dodger and its occupants stopped at a secluded pipe where a grate above revealed the world Up Top. Rita had carefully pulled the ship close to the sidewalk and shut the engine down, allowing the boat to bob gently in the water.

"Are you sure this is a good place to find some trinkets?" Mr. Malone asked as he peered over the edge, searching for any telltale signs of a useful object.

"Well, I wouldn't say trinkets exactly, but this is where I found the coin." Rita pointed up to the grate above, where rays of sunlight were poking through. The light illuminated the sewer with a gentle glow, and it allowed the two sewer rats to see through the dark water.

"The coin that Spike and Whitey stole from you?" Mr. Malone asked as he lifted himself to his feet, "How did a treasure like that end up down here?"

Rita tapped her chin with her index finger and noticed that occasional shadows fell across the walls, "Well, apparently we're right below a busy sidewalk Up Top. It would be easy if a little kid or an adult would drop something valuable down here without really missing it." She smiled and reached towards the analog stick that controlled the hand, and she lowered it palm up beside her dad, "Climb on in, I'll ride around here while you look for treasure." She winked, "That is, if you still have those hawk eyes that you always boast about."

Mr. Malone puffed up his chest and smacked a fist against it, "Of course I still do. I'm not that old yet."

He stepped onto the hand and Rita gently lifted it up, watching as her dad remained steady upon the steel palm. However, he was starting to get a bit big for it, so Rita shouted, "Hey, sometime we need to get a bench to suspend from there. It would probably be a bit more convenient."

Nodding, Mr. Malone narrowed his eyes to peer further along as the boat moved gradually forward, "I'll make it a chore to create something like that." He yelled back, "Although we won't always go out together like this, so I don't see what the hurry is."

As time went on, and the rays of sun began to diminish from view, Rita gazed out at the entrance of the tunnel and slowly pulled her dad in, "I think we should call it a night, what did you find out there?"

Mr. Malone leapt off of the hand as it hovered over the deck and held a large, soggy box in both arms. Rita walked to his side and rested her hands on her knees as he set the container on the ground and began sorting through the wet items.

"Well, we found a safety pin," he pulled out the large needle-like object and set it, folded, on the ground, "And then we have a pencil…" His hands reached in to take out the long wooden rod before he could place it on the ground, "and there's a large wet leather canvas, though I'm not entirely sure how we could use it."

Rita watched as he pulled out the last item, a rolled up piece of cloth, and began to figure out how she could use the three objects. The Dodger was always fit for upgrading. She needed new ways to trick the henchrats if she had to face them again.

"Other then that, that's all we have."

Rita grinned and smacked her dad lightly on the back, "Think we did well for the day?"

Mr. Malone shrugged and motioned towards the items, "You tell me, captain. What do you think about our load?"

"Ugh, I'm not going to be able to get used to that…" Rita sighed and smiled reassuringly as she stood up straight, "I think we did great. Let's go celebrate with some supper. I'll make something special when we tie up."

The older rat packed up the items again and rested the box along the side wall of the Dodger, "Alright, you lead the way, skipper." He said with a salute, "If you need any help, your first mate is here for ya."

* * *

"Well, maybe it's a good thing we didn't bring the rice…"

Rita just shooed away a bunch of young maggots that were trying to get close to the small car-lighter she was using to heat the water. They squirmed away slowly, as if regretting the loss of the warmth, but Rita gave them a look that said if they didn't clear out now, she would use the salt shaker that she had hidden in her back pocket.

She began to throw curly, crushed up noodles into the boiling pot and prepared the seasoning packet that rested on the tire near the back of the boat.

When the pasta finished boiling, she took the pot off of the heat and poured in the contents of the packets, hearing her stomach growl as she smelled the chicken-flavored seasoning.

"That smells delightful," Mr. Malone said as he looked over her shoulder at the food, "Chicken Ramen, huh? Well, I know you inherited my cooking skills instead of your mothers, but that looks pretty tasty."

"Oh, thanks, Dad." Rita said sarcastically as she scooped some of the food into a bowl, "I guess I take after you a lot, huh?"

Mr. Malone laughed and sat on the couch-like tire while Rita brought the lighter back down into the engine room. When she came back up, he scooted over and allowed her to take a seat next to him, "At least you got my adventurous streak in you. Otherwise you'd be home taking care of the young ones and missing out on all of the action."

Rita laughed, "It kind of makes me wonder what would happen if I hadn't been the oldest child. I could tell by the way you raised me that you were kind of expecting a boy." She elbowed him good-humoredly and continued, "Well, I guess both you and Mum were satisfied with the way I turned out."

"Hah, well, you're right about that. I mean, even when Liam came you were still driving this ship around like you were doing it ever since you were born. You also made a lot of deals bound with spit as well, which I've never seen any other girl do in all my years."

Rita shrugged and swallowed her first bite of the food. When she finished, she looked at her hand briefly and then said, "Well, I want to make sure that both sides keep their end of the bargain, and what better way then to do it with some mucus?" She chuckled and took another bite, "Hmm…this needs more salt."

She lifted herself up and reached for the miniature shaker in her back pocket, and as she wrapped her fingers around it, she felt something thin against the glass. She cocked an eyebrow and pulled the shaker out, and saw that a long piece of paper was connected to it. As she held it in front of her eyes, she laughed and rolled her eyes, "Oh goodness, Liam must have stuffed this into my pocket before I left the house."

On the paper was a phone number, the same number that Liam had found on the article this morning.

"He really does worry about us, doesn't he?" Rita asked as Mr. Malone peered at the newspaper clipping.

"Yeah, he sure does. He got that from his mum."

Rita laughed and placed the paper on the cushion beside her, "Alligators in the sewers…What a myth."

* * *

The next morning, Rita woke up early and crept slowly along the couch-like counter that rested on the Dodger's left side. Her father's heavy breathing was deep and relaxed, and his mouth opened and closed in a rhythmic pattern.

With a few tugs on the starter, the ship rumbled gently, as if holding back its power to allow the sleeping rat to remain in his dreaming state. Rita went over to the side to untie the boat from the dock and she backed it out into the long sewer lines.

There was a special place she wanted to bring her dad. She had found it when navigating the sewers a few months ago, and decided that it was a great place to search for some supplies. Now that she owned the Dodger, she could let Mr. Malone sleep for a few more hours.

The trip was slow and soothing, since she wasn't in a hurry to get anywhere. The human's world above was still dark, and she allowed the trail of lights from the buoys to lead the way to her destination.

When she arrived at the dark cavern she had been searching for, the ship decelerated and she let it rest stoic in the water once again.

"Hey, Dad…it's time to wake up…" the young rat whispered as she gently shook her father's shoulder, "I have to show you something."

Mr. Malone murmured softly and cracked open a brown eye to see his daughter smiling down at him, "Ah, Rita. Is it morning already?" He sat up and yawned greatly, holding one hand over his mouth, "It feels like I've only slept for a few hours."

Rita shook her head and smiled kindly as she helped him to his feet, "Trust me, you've gotten a lot more sleep than I have. I wanted to surprise you with this place."

She motioned to the cave-like room they were in and Mr. Malone gazed around in awe. The room was filled with all kinds of neat items which seemed to come out of an antique shop.

A large chain draped down from a pipe above, its two ends clinking against one another in a steady, repetitive beat. Nearby, a large pile of nuts and bolts were piled up in one corner, some still gleaming, untainted by rust. Across from them, a long nail stuck in the ground above the water, appearing as it would never be budged from its position unless a human reached down and took it out themselves.

A whole bunch of other neat objects covered different ends of the room, and as Mr. Malone gazed across from the boat, he caught sight of a miniature saw, one that artists use for cutting copper, and locked onto it with his "hawk eyes".

"That looks like it could be useful." He said as he peered down at the water, seeing a large log, as long as the Jammy Dodger, floating nearby, "Rita, bring in the boat near that, I think I can reach the saw without using the mechanical hand."

She nodded and used the hand to push against the wall closest to them so they were right next to the strange piece of wood. Mr. Malone lifted a leg over the Dodger's side and pressed his foot down on the log, testing its strength, before lowering the rest of his body down to it, "Alright, let's see if I still got it in me."

Rita watched as her dad inched along the rough object and reached up towards the smooth end of the saw. His fingers grazed the sides, but even as he stood on tiptoe, he was unable to grab the thin piece of steel.

Rita smiled and watched in interest as her dad continued to try and grasp that one saw, but all of his attempts failed. She wondered why he wouldn't just jump for it, it was so close…but then she thought that if it fell into the water, it would probably be impossible to get it back.

As he reached up one last time for the tool, a slight movement from the log caught Rita's attention.

_Is it just me…_ she thought _or did I just see an eyeball?_

She was about to push the thought aside, but then, it happened again. A large, yellow orb appeared on the side of the log. The pupil upon it was just a mere slit, and the ridge above the eye was narrowed.

"Erm…Dad…" she murmured, not moving a muscle, "I suggest you get on the Dodger…" Her voice rose, "right now."

"Huh?" he turned to look at her and without warning, the young alligator swung its tail at the ship, hitting the bow and causing it to spin out on the water. Mr. Malone fell and grabbed the alligator's thick scales as the Dodger shot backwards. Rita gasped and flung herself down to the deck of the boat to keep herself from flying out, and the back of the ship collided with the edge of the wall, sending up a spray of mist over her.

Mr. Malone gasped as the creature began to buck around in the water, furiously trying to throw him off of its back. It snapped its massive jaws and threw its head back and forth in order to toss the rat into the water.

Rita didn't have time to think, so she went to action, using the control stick to smack the raging reptile on the nose with the metal hand. However, this only seemed to make matters worse, as the alligator submerged, with Mr. Malone holding for dear life onto its back.

"Oh, gosh…Dad, hang on!"

She watched as the back of the monster resurfaced with her dad sputtering on top, and the alligator twirled in around in the water, dunking him in once again. Rita stared in disbelief and horror as her father continued to hold on, taking in a deep gasp of air before he was thrown into the dark waters in a continuous cycle.

Rita knew that if she didn't do something quick, her dad would lose his grip and be gator chow. Her eyes flicked back and forth to different areas of the room, looking for something she could use. One end of the chain dangled above her head, and she got an idea.

The alligator's spine came up, and Mr. Malone took in deep breaths as he fell upon the monster. He looked completely exhausted from having to hold on for that long, and the alligator was obviously preparing for another spin. This time, the rat wouldn't be able to hold on.

Rita activated the hand again and made the fingers on it grasp the long chain before she pulled it down. Luckily, it was thin enough for what she planned, so she made the hand pull back and arch over, causing the chain to land right on top of the gator's snout.

"Dad! Get that chain into its mouth!" she yelled with her hand grasping the stick tightly, "Then get off!"

Mr. Malone turned his head towards the chain and his eyes widened as he realized what she was planning. He scrambled up to the alligator's head and grasped the large chain in his arms. He then got onto his belly and began to creep along the reptile's snout.

"Chomp on this, you scaly plunker!" He threw the loop of the chain over the gator's nose and pulled it back when the links entered its mouth.

"He's about to spin, jump in!"

Rita saw her dad dive in and the alligator began to twirl in the water once again, unaware that its hijacker just leapt into the water and into safety. As it twirled, Rita started up the Dodger and kept it still as the chain started to wrap around the creature. The chain grew taut and Rita punched the stick in to release the hand's grip on the links. The reptile slowed its spinning as it realized what was happening, and Mr. Malone burst through the surface, coughing up a bit of water as he did so.

Rita smiled and lowered a hand down to him and pulled him up to the boat. He climbed onto the bars of the ship and collapsed onto the deck, breathing heavily from the attack. He slowly stood up and limped over to the couch, sighing in relief as he did so.

"Well, that was exciting, now wasn't it?" Rita asked with a smile as she peered at the young alligator, which was pulling against its bonds to no avail. She didn't' want to think of fighting it when it was adult size.

She shuddered at the thought and lowered the Dodger's hand into the water, fishing out the end of the chain. She then pulled the confused reptile over to the nail on the shore. She used the robotic fingers to place a link onto the rusty post and nodded in satisfaction, "There, now all we have to do is call the clean up crew and have them bring this guy to a safe place."

She walked over to the large cell phone within the cabin and punched a few numbers in. She looked at the number again to double check and she pressed in the rest of the buttons. After she hit the "talk" button, the phone began to ring and a low voice spoke.

"Yes? Reptile control hotline?"

Rita didn't care for the monotonous tone of voice the speaker used, but she replied, "Yeah, we found the rumored alligator running through the sewers. It's chained up in a sewer cave, just a few miles south of Ratropolis."

There was a slight pause and the speaker came on again, "Alright, we'll take care of it. We suggest you just leave it be, we'll contain it in a safe location."

"Thank you…" Rita hung up the phone and breathed out a large sigh. Everything happened so fast…it was as if she was dreaming these last events.

Although, the thrashing alligator nearby convinced her otherwise, and the snores of her father did so as well.

Gazing at his sleeping form, she smiled and shook her head before starting the boat up. She gave one last look at the large reptile before navigating the ship to another destination, hopefully one devoid of hungry reptiles. The duo had a lot more work to do before they could return home, but for now, they needed to rest. They certainly deserved it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Dedicated to the victims of the Virginia School Shootings and their families. May they be blessed by God's love.**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to DreamWorks entertainment, as well as Aardman._

Sorry it took so long to type this up. I had a long camping trip and I was grounded from the computer for TWO whole days before I was able to get on and type again. I hope this chapter won't disappoint you. Now, I am proud to present:

**Chapter 8: Meeting the Monster**

"These rats are getting even bolder by the minute. We must stop them before they ruin my plans."

The Toad's eyes were narrowed as he watched a group of rats cleaning up the remainders of the Ferris Wheel that had fallen a few days ago. He had almost succeeded in his plot on taking over Ratropolis, but his plan was destroyed when the two rats saved the day. Apparently they were two scavengers, the ones that he spied on to find new items for his wonderful collection. They were a father and a daughter; the latter of which was the girl that survived his boat race. They were definitely a force to be reckoned with, which is why he had sent out for a relative of his to get rid of them.

The aristocrat gazed up at the football clock above his lair and realized that his guest was ten minutes late. He huffed at the fact and began to pace around the room, the sticky pads of his feet making squelching noises upon the floor. He didn't even have his two henchrat companions to keep him company…not that he cared. They were a nuisance anyway. He was thankful that Spike's mother asked them for a visit. He was too embarrassed to admit why they left at random intervals, but they were the only rats that he could find that could get his work done.

However, this mission was too important for them, or the other henchrats to do, so he decided to call in an expert.

"_Salut_, my annoying English cousin, I hear you 'ave a mission for me."

The Toad turned his bulbous head as a frog in a trench coat stood in the shadows above his lair. The figure leapt down from the pipes above to land bouncily on his feet, gazed around the room carelessly, and groaned softly. "You have not changed a bit in your decorating. This place is as dark and dreary as before, no?"

The Toad clenched his teeth and lifted his hands into the air, "I didn't invite you to give me house keeping tips, LeFrog! I want you to take care of a little pest problem for me." He pointed at a framed photograph on a side table nearby: The picture of Rita and her Dad, taken when she was eight. "That young rat you see there is much older now, and she and her father are ruining all of my plans for domination over Ratropolis! I want you to bring her to me by any means necessary."

LeFrog gazed at his fingertips carelessly and mumbled, "Again with this hatred of the rats. You should really learn to accept your fate, monsieur." He turned his green eyes towards his obsessed cousin and continued, "But since you are _famille _I'll do this task for you. I haven't had a decent job in a while, heh heh."

Without another word, LeFrog hopped into the shadows, followed by a group of other amphibians that had hidden themselves within the building. The Toad watched as the last of them vanished from view, with his hands folded together in triumph.

"Soon, the two rat menaces will be in my clutches, and then these sewers will be mine." The amphibian murmured as he rubbed his slimy fingers together. He turned to the window and his eyes once again focused on the totaled carnival ride, "Just a bit longer…"

* * *

"Hey, Rita. Do you think this hat would fit Fergus?"

Mr. Malone waved a large, green hat to get her attention. Rita straightened up after sorting through a large, cardboard box nearby and turned to see what her dad was talking about.

"Yeah, it looks like something he'd wear." She walked to his side and took the hat into her hands, turning it within them in order to examine it a bit closer, "It's in pretty fine shape too. I think it'll work out for him."

As she passed the hat back to her father, Rita gazed around the lot they were in. Debris and detritus lay everywhere in sight. Parts of ships that were once great vessels littered the area, some contents half buried in the ground. Rita traced a few fingers over the bow of one ship, which was tilted slightly in the gravel. She could see the word "_Perseverance_" written on the side of the boat in faded lettering, and breathed a sigh at the irony in the name.

Looking back at the Dodger, Rita thought about the wonderful ship, and tried not to think of its remains lying, forgotten, in a junkyard such as this. She shook her head to dispel the frightening images and joined her father in order to help him with a few more item-hunts. They added a few picture frames to their collection, which would be useful for in the house, and Rita spotted a few blocks and wheels in a trash pile nearby that could make roller-skates for the kids.

"Hey, look at this!"

Rita turned and laughed as Mr. Malone held up two suction-like darts from a human child's toy gun. The translucent orange color caught her eyes right away, and she joked, "The kids would enjoy playing with those. I could just imagine Kenny and Dylan trying to lick those so they would stick to the walls."

"Well, maybe we should wait until their old enough before we give them these." Mr. Malone threw them onto the boat, along with the other items he found, "The kids are going to love this new load. Let's hope your mum feels the same way." He gave her a sly wink and she laughed in return. Rita could picture one of the kids hanging from the ceiling by use of a dart and her mother gazing up fearfully above, having a panic attack. Well, maybe she wouldn't react _that_ way, but Rita still had fun thinking about it.

She was just about to board the Dodger when a slight movement in the back of the sewer tunnel caught her eye. Rita turned her head and squinted in order to peer into the darkness, but saw nothing. Then, shrugging her shoulders, she climbed onto the ship and helped her father carry the rest of the items in. She occasionally gazed back at the alley from sheer paranoia. Too many things have been happening lately, so she learned not to let her guard down, not even for one second.

Within moments, they pushed off and Rita was once again at the wheel. A map was spread out on the control panel before her, and her father traced a finger upon it to show her where he wished for them to go.

"I have a few things to take care of in the Underground." He muttered as he continued tracing the way, "I haven't told you about that place, and I suggest that you never go there on your own. You'll see why when we get there. Shady place, that's for sure. But in order to find it we have to go through a lock in the deeper sewers." His fingertip indicated a small dot on the map and Rita read the words "Toilock" written in messy print at the bottom.

"Nice pun…" she muttered as she looked up and moved the boat, just on time to avoid a few rats that were fishing on a paper boat, "I kind of wonder who the bright one was that named the lock after a loo."

Mr. Malone elbowed her gently in the ribs while giving her a skeptical look and she blushed and cleared her throat, "Sorry, it just came out…" she rubbed her side and grinned, adding, "I think you kind of lost your sense of humor in that alligator attack."

Her dad sighed and rubbed his head, "Nah, I'm just tired. And the one who named the lock is a good friend of mine." Rita's face grew a bit redder and he forced out a chuckle, "Although next time you crack a joke, I'll try to laugh at it, even if it wasn't funny."

A mischievous grin played upon Rita's face, "Good, because I have one that I haven't tried yet. What happens when you cross an alligator with a…"

Mr. Malone cut her off by pressing his hand against her mouth, "Okay, I think we're both a bit tired. How about you bring us some place nice and quiet to rest, hopefully one devoid of singing slugs."

Rita grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away. Her ears soon picked up the sound of a few of the slimy creatures nearby, singing another tune in French. She thought this was kind of odd, but dismissed any further thought and continued to navigate the ship into other waters. "Alright, I'll tell you it later. Maybe when your funny bone is healed."

Mr. Malone smirked, "Funny Bone references don't count as jokes, so I won't hold that against you."

As Rita smiled affectionately and steered the boat around a corner, a group of eyes peered from beneath the gentle waves. They slowly began to float forward, following the ship, and waiting for an opportune moment to strike…

* * *

Rita yawned, holding a hand over her mouth as weariness took over. She had just pulled into an empty dock and her father was snoozing away on the couch, his chest lifting and falling in an unending pattern.

She rested on arm over the edge of the tire that covered the back of the ship and allowed the other to fall back upon her upright knee. She was tired, but she wanted to keep an eye out. Something just didn't seem right today, the overwhelming sense of being watched had been with her for a while. Instead, she decided to keep watch for as long as she could, no matter how tired she was. Besides, her dad did most of the hard work while he was with her. She felt like she should let him rest while she listened to the sounds of the night.

"Feeling a little tired, mademoiselle?"

Rita leapt to her feet in surprise and whipped around as a figure bounded upon the back end of the Dodger. The intruder was a short frog dressed in a black suit, made from a rubbery material. He had a bored look upon his face, and he rested his hands on his sides while gazing intently upon his victim.

"You do look much older then in the picture my irritating English cousin showed me. P'erhaps this may be a bit of a challenge."

Rita glared angrily at the frog and stepped back, "What do you want? I never invited you on my ship! Hop off!"

LeFrog snapped his fingers and a group of green fingers crept onto the black tire. He then ran a sticky index finger along his mustache and replied, "Pardon me for not introducing myself. I am LeFrog, and I am here to take you to The Toad, upon his request."

Within seconds, a group of similar frogs leapt onto the Jammy Dodger, each one taking a Kung Fu stance as they awaited their orders.

Rita clenched her teeth as her emerald eyes gazed back and forth between the different frogs, "Well tell him that I'm not interested in seeing him, and I want you to get off of my ship. Now, get off before I make you."

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. I thought you would say that, which is why we must bring you there by force. Henchfrogs!" LeFrog pointed at the young rat, "Attack!"

"Dad, wake up!"

Rita shouted as loud as she could before racing up towards the controls on the ship. She attempted to reach for the robotic hand's controls, but she felt a crushing blow upon her back as one of the frogs leapt at her. She managed to roll to the side in order to throw him off of her and she dived into the hatch that led to the engine room. She rolled on the ground and leapt to her feet before searching for something to use.

As another frog was coming down the stairs, she picked up a large hair clip from the ground and grabbed a crayon, fitting it snuggly into a notch in the side of the bow. Pulling back the flexible steel bar, she let her fingers release it and the crayon shot forward, right into the forehead of the French frog.

She grabbed another weapon, a stick-horse-like object that had a dog's head on the tip, and climbed up the ladder where the other frogs were waiting. She swung the bar wildly into another frog's stomach, causing him to fly over the edge of the boat into the dark water below.

As Mr. Malone was slowly sitting up, Rita struck the stick-dog at the frogs that came near her. Her dad had noticed what was going on and he leapt onto the back of one of the frogs, his weight causing it to fall face first onto the deck.

Rita was about to swing at LeFrog, who was advancing towards her, when the frog she hit in the cabin below grabbed onto her ankle and pulled her down. She crashed painfully on her back and the lead frog leapt down and drew out something from his pockets, a ball of cord.

"Oh no you don't, you slimy French freaks!"

Rita got to her feet and shoved her shoulder into LeFrog's side, causing him to stumble to the right and allowing her to climb back up the ladder where her dad was furiously fighting off the remaining frogs. She watched as he grabbed the arms of one frog and swung him around in order to throw him into another, hurling them both overboard. Rita grinned in response and was about to leap into the fray when she felt something cold and sharp against her throat.

"Don't move, monsieur, unless you want your daughter to get hurt."

As Rita lowered her eyes, she saw that LeFrog had held the blade of an etching knife against her neck. Mr. Malone watched in concern, and backed away from the enemy frogs, "Please don't hurt her…" he whispered. Rita could hear the total fear in his voice, and it shocked her to the very core, "I'll do anything."

LeFrog's haunting laugh sent shivers down her spine, and Rita closed her eyes and swallowed, wishing she could fight back. Feeling completely helpless was new to her, and she didn't wish to admit her defeat.

"Pierre, get the cord from the engine room."

One of the frogs nodded sharply and somersaulted into the hatch. LeFrog stepped back and Rita did the same, not wanting the knife to dig further into her fur.

"I got it, monsieur."

Rita felt the cold, tight rope on her wrists and she let out her breath in a sharp hiss. She desperately wanted to break free, but there was no use. She watched helplessly as the group of frogs stood in her father's way and she felt her shoes leaving solid ground before her and LeFrog plunged into the river. She knew fighting was useless, so she hung her head and closed her eyes as her kidnapper dragged her towards parts unknown within the gloomy sewer.

* * *

Rita felt herself being pulled onto solid ground and she started in shock as her feet scrambled to find the surface. A stronger hand took hold of her shoulder and hauled her to her feet. When she looked up, she gasped as she saw the large white rat standing at her side.

"Hey, I know this girl! She's the one who always finds those neat objects that Spike and I take for the boss's collection."

"There'll be no fraternizing with the enemy. My cousin needs to speak with her."

Rita grunted angrily as she strained against her bonds, but it was no use. Whitey spoke out again, a confused tone in his voice, "If he wants to speak with her, why d'you got her tied up so? Seems a bit uncomfortable if you ask me."

LeFrog rolled his eyes and continued to push his prisoner forward towards the large tower-like control center that rested near the center of town. As Rita looked out at the busy streets, she felt like shouting out, but then she realized that she might find out more about this Toad guy if she followed through.

As they walked in through the thick door that had been carved into the bottom of the wall, she imagined a darker, gloomier place where a power-crazed amphibian could lurk about. However, she was surprised to find that it was a well-furnished lair, more like a den fit for a gentleman then an insane toad bent on stealing old antiques.

The Toad was sitting in a plushy chair nearby, his hands folded together as he gazed malevolently at the young rat before him.

"I can see your mission was a success, LeFrog." The Toad motioned towards Rita and added, "Untie her, she can't go anywhere, and I want this conversation to be as civilized as possible."

Rita turned her head to watch LeFrog loosen the cords and she felt them slide down her wrists onto the ground below. She took the chance to bring them forward and rubbed each one in turn, letting the blood circulate back through them.

"Civilized, huh?" Rita inquired as she took in the fancy clothes that the Toad was wearing, "What? Are you going for the Godfather look? Because it's really not working for you."

She relished the scowl that crossed the Toads face and he lifted a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat before continuing on, "You should realize by now that my assistants and I have been watching your progress, as well as your fathers." He stood up within the chair, clasped his hands behind his back, and began pacing around the room. His gaze darted back and forth between the cat-skin rug that he tread upon and his captive who watched him warily. "You two have added such neat trinkets in our possession, and I haven't really returned the favor."

He tried resting a hand on Rita's shoulder, but she pulled away sharply and took a few steps back, "Why would you want to return favor when you stole those items from us?" she snarled, "I know you're trying to trick me, so come out straight!"

The venom in her voice would have caused a boa constrictor to shudder, and the Toad knew that she was beyond outsmarting.

"Alright, since you rats are not sophisticated like I am…" Rita clenched her teeth angrily at this comment, "and you would rather face the cold, hard truth of it, then I will give it to you." The Toad's thick lips curled in a malicious sneer and he let out a low, dark chortle, "You should have realized by now that you and your father have been ruining my plans."

"Plans?" Rita asked, "Can we be a bit more specific?" She really wanted to get him unnerved, but she didn't know how long she could keep it up.

However, The Toad seemed to have ignored her comment and was now hopping over to the colossal window. He stood before it and motioned towards the view outside, his eyes narrowed as he watched her.

Rita cast a quick look around to get her bearings, seeing that every door that was within view was blocked off by either a French frog or a henchrat. She sighed and hesitantly walked up to see what the Toad was up to, but never got within two arms reach of him. She was dealing with a madman here...

"You see that down there?"

Her eyes trailed to where his slimy finger pointed out the wreckage of the Ferris Wheel. It was nearly cleaned up by an army of small tugboats, which carried off small bars and shafts here and there. The rats on board looked like little toy men, and a bit of nausea struck her as she realized how high they were above the city.

"Oh, yeah…I remember overhearing you talking about that with some of your lackeys." She couldn't help but lift her chin in pride, "So, how does it feel having your evil plot ruined by a teenage girl and her dad?"

"Furious, Murderous. Which brings me to my next point." The Toad turned to her, "Your father will soon receive the message we're sending out, and he'll know that I have you in my clutches. I'm sure he'll be along to rescue you anytime."

"Wait…" Rita thought for a second, "So…what you're saying is…is that you wanted him here as well…"

"Exactly,"

"And…You brought me here…but not him…"

"Yes, if you haven't guessed, I am holding you for ransom."

Rita held her hand over her mouth to hold back a laugh. Nevertheless, the toad caught sight of this and murmured, "What are you giggling about, you little vermin?"

She couldn't help it, her hand fell from her face and she burst out into unstoppable laughter. The Toad watched, his jaw dropping in bewilderment as he watched her, and every time he tried asking her again, her voice would cut through his, and he would be left with his index finger in the air and his mouth gaping as he lost his words.

He quickly shook his head and he managed to shout above the racket. "LEFROG! What is the meaning of this?!"

The smaller amphibian bounded to his cousin's side and cocked an eyebrow at the teenager's hilarity. They waited until she quieted down a bit and finally the Toad roared, "WHAT IS SO FUNNY?!"

Rita breathed in deeply a few times, letting out each breath with a lifting tone, "My father…was in the boat with me…when your frogs attacked! They could have just as easily grabbed him as well!"

The Toad's eyes bulged as he heard this and he whirled quickly to face his younger relative, "Is this true, LeFrog?"

The Frenchman nodded, "Yeah, he was there. He put up a great fight too. But you told us specifically to grab the girl, and that is what we did. You said nothing about taking the father as well."

The Toad's goiter blew out, causing another fit of laughter to escape from Rita. She wiped her eyes, which began to tear up, and started to back away, "You really blew it big time, you warty airbag." She said with the intended pun.

The Toad's unbloated himself and seethed with anger before he targeted her with his finger, "Dispose of this vile vermin! I can stand no more of her insolence!"

Rita knew it was her time to flee as the rats and frogs all came charging at her. As she examined her surroundings, she saw a tape measurer nearby. The long, thin ribbon stretched taut as the metal clip clung onto the edge of the table, and Rita charged towards it, bounding out of the way of a frog that tried leaping at her back. As she reached the measuring device, she leapt onto the black lever that held the outstretched tape in place. Without warning, the tape inside began to roll back into place and the large plastic compartment, with Rita still standing upon it, surged forward and struck the unwary henchmen aside, scattering them about like bowling ball pins.

When the measuring apparatus began to fall from the countertop towards the ground below, Rita wrapped her arms around the rough surface of the object and gritted her teeth as it crashed to the floor and bounced once before falling flat on the ground.

Rita groaned and rubbed her head from the ride and within a second she was on her feet again, dashing towards the exit. She had no time to pay attention to her surroundings, but as she burst through the door, beautiful daylight struck her face. She slammed the door as hard as she could behind her, despite what her mother had told her a few days earlier, and dived into the river.

As she swam halfway across the river, she heard the familiar foghorn of the Jammy Dodger and the whoops of joy from her father. She back paddled as the ship zoomed by in a U-turn before the floodgate, and she grabbed onto the mechanical hand that swung by her as the ship passed. Her father used the trusty arm to pull her back onto the boat, and she held on tightly to it as it slowly lowered her onto the deck.

The first thing she did when her feet hit solid ground was to collapse and take in a deep breath. The joyful laugh of her father met her ears and she smiled and looked up, seeing his blue eyes gleaming with amazement and relief.

"You look like you've been through a triathlon, my girl. I received the message from The Toad, and I was just about to go in and get your tail out of there when I saw you doing the backstroke." His eyes closed as he smiled and pat her wet, red head, "No how about you get some rest? I don't think you've had a decent nap ever since we started this hunt."

"Whew…you're right about that." Rita sighed as she leapt lithely onto the couch, "Wake me up when we reach our next destination." She gave a great yawn and rolled onto her back before allowing her eyes to slowly shut out the light, "This trip's not over yet."

A strange silence followed, and as Mr. Malone began to walk away, Rita spoke up, "Hey Dad…I just realized something…What happens when you cross an alligator and a rat?"

"I give up." He said, remembering their conversation earlier.

"One wet Dad."

"Ha ha! I nearly wet my trousers with that one."

Rita cracked open an eye, "Hey, you said you'd laugh at the next joke I made."

Mr. Malone grinned, "Yeah, and I did. It just wasn't that great of a joke."

She gave a small shrug and turned to face the wall of the boat, pulling one knee close to her chest as she did so. Her tail flicked gently back and forth as she began to rest, and Mr. Malone went to the controls.

Surely he wasn't Captain now, but that didn't mean that Rita couldn't be off duty. As he steered the boat into safer waters, he was unaware of the two eyes that watched from above, gleaming dangerously in the light of the afternoon.


	9. Chapter 9

**Dedicated to the victims of the Virginia School Shootings and their families. May they be blessed by God's love.**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to DreamWorks entertainment, as well as Aardman._

Once again my time has been cut short by end-of-the-school-year-syndrome and very severe writers block. (And a week without this computer didn't help either) Inspiration just hasn't been coming as it has for the last eight chapters. I'm sorry for keeping you guys waiting, and I really hope that these next chapters will entertain and amuse you all. Also, if you check my profile, you can find some pictures related to my fic and also of Firefall Bangenthump's "A Change in Scene" series. I must thank him for the inspiration I needed to continue my fic. Another thing (I know these interruptions are probably annoying), I wanted to say that a lot of the background information I got for the baddies is from the commentary on Flushed Away. I did not make up those ideas on my own, that's all courtesy of Aardman and DreamWorks (Brilliant minds there, that's for sure). Now (finally), I am pleased to present:

**Chapter 9: The Underground**

Rita woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon on the makeshift stove. Her mouth began to water from the succulent scent as she heard the food sizzle and pop within the pan. When she pushed herself up to a sitting position, she saw Mr. Malone with his back turned to her. His tail flicked back and forth as he hummed to a song that the slugs were singing on the wall above the Dodger.

As her father cooked, Rita stole a glance over his shoulder to watch the oil boil over the food. Next to the bacon were four small eggs, obviously from a bird smaller then a chicken, which were also bubbling from the heat.

"It looks great, Dad!" she exclaimed while smacking a hand against his back, "and I thought you said you couldn't cook. The smell reminds me of home."

Mr. Malone grinned and flipped an egg over, "I didn't _say _I couldn't cook, I merely _implied_ that I couldn't. There's a big difference between the two." He elbowed her gently to push her back, "I think you took after my Mum. She can't tell the difference between a sandwich and a handful of sand."

"Was that supposed to be funny?" Rita's eyebrow lifted, "I know my cooking's bad, but it's not _that _horrible."

"You're right." Mr. Malone said, lifting his head in realization, "nothing is that bad."

They both laughed, but Rita smelled something unpleasant and she cleared her throat, "Erm, you might want to take the bacon out. I think you're burning it."

Mr. Malone gasped and threw the crispy meat onto a plate and shoved it into Rita's hands, "Hold this for me, would ya?"

"You don't give me much of a choice." Rita murmured in reply as she held the chipped plate. As it began to warm up in her hands, she set it on the couch and smirked, "Well, what was that you were saying about _my_ cooking?"

Mr. Malone held his hands up in surrender. One was still grasping the coffee-filter tongs that he used for handling the food.

"You got me there." He said in defeat, "I guess bacon isn't my friend…"

"And neither are eggs." Rita interrupted as she pointed to the other food items, the yolks of which were dripping into the grease left over from the bacon.

"Augh! Them little blighters! I can never seem to cook them like your mum does!"

The younger rat shook her head in sympathy as Mr. Malone flipped the eggs haphazardly onto another plate. From the disappointed look on his face, she realized he really wanted to help her out, so she took a piece of bacon between her thumb and forefinger and popped it into her mouth.

She chewed the bacon quickly and allowed the flavor to spread within her mouth. Even though it was quite burnt, she could still taste the thin meat within, and she licked her lips to show her approval.

"Mmm, that was real tasty." She said with a smile as she gave her father a thumbs up, "Great bacon, Dad."

He smiled uncertainly but grabbed a strand and gnawed it. He swallowed the meager bite and smiled before throwing the rest in, "It's definitely not that bad. A bit crispier then I wanted it, but that's all right."

Rita smiled. No matter what, her Dad could always look on the bright side of things. It was a quality she wanted to take on for herself, which was hard considering all of the trouble she got herself into.

"So, where are heading to now?" She inquired as she placed an egg and some bacon on an empty plate (made from a dented coin), "To that Underground place, right?"

Her Dad nodded and spread the sheet before him, "Yes, the friend of mine I told you about, Neil is his name, and I'm sure he'd be glad to see you."

Rita stuffed a chopped bit of an egg white into her mouth, chewed it quickly, and swallowed. "I'll be glad to see him too. It would be great to meet the rat who came up with the word "Toilock."

Once again, Mr. Malone elbowed her, a bit more gently this time, and he chuckled softly, "Okay, I admit that it is quite a strange name, but you can't blame the man. He's more interested in mechanics and collecting strange trinkets than in creativity."

"I can see that." After the words came out, she threw her hand over her mouth, allowing a secret smile to curl beneath.

"Okay, okay, that's enough of that." Her Dad said as he too ate a bit of his food, "Mmm, this isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Wait a minute." Rita said as she placed her fork down and held up her hand, her palm facing him, "Are you saying that you didn't plan this food to be good? Are you trying to have a mutiny against your new captain already?" she asked, grinning, "Now I have to worry about you poisoning me as well? How fun is that?"

Mr. Malone chuckled and asked, "As well? Who else would you have to worry about?"

Rita coughed, "French Frogs."

"Ahh…I see. Well, you won't have to worry about mutiny on board this ship. You're doing a great job so far." He smiled, "Soon you just _might_ be better than your old man."

"Is that a challenge?" Rita asked, smirking as she took another bite and swallowed, "I accept!"

Her father smiled and he looked up and around at the tunnel that they had stopped in, "We aren't too far from the lock. Surely we'll be there within a few minutes, as long as you can follow my directions."

Rita gasped, as if he made fun of her, "What do you mean _if_?" She folded her arms over her chest and stuck out her lower lip in a pout, "I thought you said I was doing a great job. Why don't you ever just make your mind about these things?"

Laughing, Mr. Malone set aside his plate, "You know I'm just teasing ya'. But I do warn you, the locks can be pretty hazardous if you're not careful. You can easily bend the bow of the ship or scrape the sides on the narrow walls."

"Well, I'll keep that in mind then." Rita said as she finished off the last of the food. She softened up a bit and leaned across the ship, giving her Dad a small hug, "Thanks a lot, Dad, for the meal." She released her grip, seeing a satisfied glint in his eye, and added, "It was really sweet of you."

Waving the comment aside, Mr. Malone grew humble, "It was nothing, and if it wasn't so burnt it would've been much better."

"No, it was fine." Rita backed away and started to stride to the bike spokes that were the components of the Dodger's ignition. With a quick pull of the cord, the Jammy Dodger roared to life. Rita took the wheel and put her in full throttle, cherishing the sound of the motor as it churned and boiled the water. As soon as the turbine started spinning, the boat was off, slicing through the waters at a heightened angle.

As the ship rounded a corner, another vessel pulled into the cavern. The submerged, fish-like figure floated slowly forward, as if it was built more for muscle than for speed. The antique scuba mask that crested the top of it shone a light through the tunnel, dispelling the shadows that were cast as the sun began to rise in the world Up Top. As it turned the same corner, the light flickered off, and the group of rats riding the strange ship lifted their hands above their eyes to peer into the darkness, trying to keep an eye on the V-shaped trail that led to their targets. Perched on the top of the mask was a figure garbed in a trench coat. He too listened carefully to the growl of the Jammy Dodger's engine, and made sure that they stayed hot on the trail of the pesky rats.

* * *

The lock itself was a simple structure, being located in a small dead end within a separate tunnel. A gate before them rose as the Dodger nosed its way into the channel. Rita eased up on the throttle so that the boat came to a stop, but still continued to run. The dripping cement wall behind them slowly came down and a muffled _thud _sounded beneath the water. The sound of water rushing from the enclosure took over and the water around the ship sloshed against its sides as the water was released from a pipe deep beneath the surface.

As Rita looked down below the side of the ship, she gave a start as she realized how unfathomable the water was. She couldn't see the bottom of the lock, and when she looked back up again, she saw that the Jammy Dodger was sinking lower and lower, so that the gate they passed through was lost in the darkness above.

It felt as if they had fallen for a half an hour when the pipes below were covered and the water stopped before a black gate, this one appearing as if it were made from stainless steel. Clanking noises revealed unseen gears which enabled the great door to rise. Rita increased the Dodger's speed and steered it forward as they entered a world completely different from the sewers further above.

The streets were lit with strange lichen which covered the walls above and along the sides of the deep underground city. The moss and toadstools cast a faint, but efficient green light upon the city. The streets themselves were very quiet. Only a few rats walked upon them, and the ones that did were characters that Rita thought would be the last people she would want to meet in an alley on a dark night. She felt her father wrap his fingers around her wrist, though whether it was for her comfort or from fear, she wasn't sure.

"Alright, my girl...turn right at the next turn, and keep sailing until you see a building with a wrench-shaped sign above it."

Rita complied, and made the turn as it was coming along, her eyes darting towards another ship, one of which was painted to look like an eel in the water. She shuddered and continued to navigate the boat through the waters, wondering what kind of place her father brought her to. Everywhere she looked made her uncomfortable, and she felt grateful for having the deck of the Jammy Dodger safely beneath her feet. She was beginning to question in her mind what sort of rat this friend of her father was.

When she saw Neil's business, lit eerily by the green lichen, she pulled the Dodger to the side of the walk and stopped it. However, she refused to shut the ship down, and smiled uncertainly to her Dad, "If it's alright with you I'd like to stay on the ship." She winked, "I'm sure Neil wouldn't like me lurking about while you take care of some things."

Mr. Malone rolled his eyes, "Ye' bloomin' coward." To show he had no hard feelings, he smiled and pat her on the shoulder, "That's fine, just guard the boat. Neil may be a very descent and sophisticated guy, but I wouldn't trust anyone else here with my life."

"That's a good idea." Rita said, "Because looking at these rats on the street, it looks as if that's just the thing they're after."

With a hearty chuckle, Mr. Malone leapt out of the boat and landed gently on the ground, "Now stay safe, if you have any problems, just holler." With a quick wave, he ran into the store and slammed the door behind him, leaving Rita to fend for herself in the dark streets of the Underground.

"You'd think I'd learn…every time I'm on my own something terrible happens." She murmured while pacing the length of the boat, keeping track of everything loose nearby that she could use for a weapon, "Sometimes you really need to use your head, Rita, and try to stop looking for trouble."

"Great…" an afterthought occurred, "Now I'm talking to myself in third person…"

She sighed.

Then she heard the dull hum of a boat motor, a large boat motor.

Once again, paranoia came over her and she leapt to the back of the Dodger and peered over the edge, watching as the strange ship came into view. It wasn't one that she'd seen before, so her heart slowed its beating. She sighed and stood up, brushing her hands across her pant legs as she did so. No crazed henchrats were going to ruin her already suspenseful day. At least, that's what she thought.

She turned and went to the side of the boat, rubbing the back of her head as she looked at the green streets. Her foot tapped at a metal rod that rested on the floor. To ease her boredom, she nudged the stick with her bottle cap-tipped shoes and let the steel slide over her foot.

Suddenly, the Dodger bobbed as something fell onto the deck behind her. With lightning-quick reflexes, she kicked up her foot, flinging the bar in mid-air while doing so, and caught it in her right hand before she swung around and thrust the weapon in front of her. It clanged against the mini screwdriver in the enemy's hand. Upon closer observation, she saw that it was Thimblenose Ted, one of the Toad's henchrats.

"I should've known that you creeps would never give me a break." Rita breathed angrily as she lashed the pole upwards, parrying another strike from the dark rat.

"Why would we?" the zombie-like rat asked as he took a step back and lunged, aiming the screwdriver carefully, "The boss was very clear on his orders to get rid of you, and we won't stop until we do!"

Rita twisted to the side so Ted's weapon barely grazed her stomach and threw her rod downwards, pushing the driver down to the ground. She then stepped onto his weapon and made a 90 degree turn with her leg out, striking the henchrat right in the face.

The scene seemed to go into slow motion as Rita righted herself and Thimblenose Ted flew back from the kick. The metal thimble upon his snout had been flung off from the blow, and what Rita saw startled her. Where she had expected to see a long snout upon his face, there was instead a flat surface, covered in dark grey fur. There was no nose, not even a hint of one, beneath that thimble. Rita was stuck between having the urge to laugh, and to spill the contents of her stomach. The former sounded much nicer, though she was too shocked to say anything.

"No! You fool! You revealed my deformity, my nose…the one I lost in a knife fight!" Thimblenose grasped at his missing snout, trying to hide the blank surface from view.

"A knife fight?" Rita laughed, noting the uneven growth of hair on his face, "It looks more like you lost it from sticking your nose where it doesn't belong…shall I say, a lawnmower?"

Ted's grey fur turned a bright shade of pink and he growled, "How did you guess that?"

"From an intelligence that you lack." Rita kicked up the metal rod once again and noticed that Ted's eyes darted very quickly from her to something over her shoulder. She ducked down as something long and hard swung overhead and she twisted around on the ground before shoving the tip of the pole against the large stomach of the striped-suited henchrat.

"So, you're coming to join in the fray?" she smirked, swiftly rapping the end of her weapon against his wrist, causing him to drop the needle he was holding, "You should realize that two of you guys versus one of me are very uneven odds. You need at least a whole army of rats of your caliber to stop me."

Fat Barry, the larger rat, backed away in shock, looking around right and left as if hoping he had that army ready for him. He smirked, pointed towards the strange scuba-capped ship that rested next to her own, and leapt onto it as three more rats fell onto the Dodger.

Rita groaned. She knew she couldn't fight off those three by herself, and now LeFrog even jumped down to join them. She recognized Spike and Whitey, and the third rat she wasn't so sure of, though he had a match resting within his mouth, and dark shades covered his eyes.

She decided to go with her instincts, and leapt out of the ship onto the streets. She felt like she could deal with any other creepy rat on the street then with the group that was chasing her now. As she looked around, she realized that she would stand a better chance if she took them out one at a time.

She turned a corner just as the sunglass-wearing rat was running close behind. She quickened her pace, hearing the ground beneath her creak and groan beneath her weight. She didn't have time to look down, however, for the alley ended.

"Not again…" she groaned as she turned, seeing the smaller rat walking slowly behind her.

"LadyKiller's the name." the rat said as he stopped before her, taking the match from his mouth to twist slowly in his hand, "No female can resist my wonderful charm and good looks, not even you." He said, flashing a very unattractive smile.

"Umm…riiight…" Rita murmured in disgust and sarcasm as she gazed around for some sort of escape. A quick plan came to mind and she pointed up at the sky, "What's that up there?"

"What, where?" the rat looked up, only to have a solid punch right in his face which sent him reeling and which broke the lens of his sunglasses. As he stood up, cross-eyed and dizzy, he reached out for something to steady himself. When he shook it off, Rita snickered and then laughed out loud when she saw that his eyes remained in their crossed positions. They were really quite goofy looking, and apparently, LadyKiller knew so, for he was scrambling around the floor, trying to find his lost lens.

"No, no woman must see my eyes! They're an embarrassment to my dashing good looks!"

Rita felt like she should stay and humiliate him a bit longer, but she could now hear the other rats scrambling to get out. Below her, the ground creaked and groaned, and as she gazed down, she saw that she was standing on the cover of an air shaft that went further below ground. While LadyKiller was preoccupied with searching for his sunglasses, Rita threw open the hatch to the shaft and fell in, landing lithely on her feet below. A chain attached to the hatch dangled down and she leapt up, grabbed onto it, and let it close above her. She thought that she would be thrown into darkness, but a line of blue lights ran along the bottom of the shaft. Apparently, it had been in use before.

"Well, Dad probably won't be out for a while, so I might as well see what's down here." Rita mused as she started her trek down the long, metal tunnel.

Things seemed to go smoothly, she couldn't hear any of the henchrats behind her, and the tunnel hadn't branched off, so she knew she was going in the right direction. The blue rope lights illuminated the path for her, even though she knew she was far below the ground, where it was impossible for any real light to poke through.

She felt as she had been walking for a half hour when she heard some voices. She slowed her pace, mentally hushing her footsteps as she crept towards a grate within the air shaft. She could see a flickering light cast against the metal walls, revealing a fire in the room below.

As she crawled stealthily to the thin metal bars, she gazed down into what appeared to be a cavern, lit by a makeshift fireplace. As she sniffed, she realized that the smoke was filtering through the shaft, though it was so large that she had hardly noticed the smell.

She saw a well-dressed figure sitting in a chair below, and her heart skipped a beat as she thought of the resemblance to The Toad. However, this figure looked nothing like a toad, being covered in sleek, brown fur. Its impressively tall, thin body showed that it wasn't a rat.

Rita squinted her eyes and leaned closer over the grate to get a closer look, feeling the barred light fall upon her face. The furry creature had company. A large centipede lay curled before the hearth like some sick variation of a dog, its many legs twitched and clicked against the stone floor as it dreamed centipedial dreams. Two large, burly bats hung as sentries before the entrances of two tunnels that led to this main cave, their leathery wings folded tightly to their muscular bodies. Both wore a pair of sunglasses, as if it would help them to keep their blind eyes safe from the fire's crackling glare. Their short snouts wore serious expressions. From their lips poked two sharp, thin fangs which gleamed dangerously in the flickering firelight. Rita couldn't help but shudder from the slight.

The beast on the chair stood up and walked past the huge insect on the floor, walking towards the wall below the air shaft. Rita leaned closer to see if she could see more distinguishing characteristics of the creature, who now stood directly below her. A creaking sound caused him to whip his head quickly to the side, as he tried to see what the sound was. Rita was curious too, but was unaware that it was the grate she was leaning on that was making the noise.

Everything seemed to happen all at once. The grate broke, causing Rita to fall, shouting in surprise, towards the furred creature below. The beast cried out, drawing the attention of the centipede, which reared up, clicking its pincers in surprise, before it crept swiftly towards the confused duo on the floor.

The bats also went into action, spreading their great wings to fly after the intruder, who was trying to disentangle her tail from their master's form. Their wings batted at each other, and the three other critters, who were trying to break away from the confusion and chaos that ensued.

Unfortunately, when Rita managed to break away, she was swatted aside by one of the bats and she landed painfully to the ground. When she pushed herself onto her elbows, she gasped as the centipede reared above her, its legs flinging wildly about as it looked at her with beady, soulless eyes.

"WHAT is the meaning of this?!"

The barking voice of the Boss silenced the entire room. Rita could hear her own heart furiously beating against her chest.

"I…I accidentally fell in sir…" she murmured, hoping that the creature would understand. However, when she saw what the creature was, she was about to have second thoughts.

The furry aristocrat was indeed tall and lithe, his hair was silky and glossy. However, his black, beady eyes which peered over a long, pointed snout seemed almost lifeless, just like the insect which now circled around him and the young rat, who was desperately looking around for an escape. Certainly a weasel would not give her a warm welcome…

"Mr. Weasel, sir..." One of the bats muttered, seeing the stern expression on his boss's face, "What would you like us to do with the intruder?"

The Weasel smirked, a haunting, dangerous smirk. "This is obviously the rat that my friend has been talking about." He turned around, flicking his tail softly back and forth as if he were a giant cat, "The Toad told me that I'll have an unexpected guest coming to my territory."

Rita leapt to her feet, earning her a hiss from the centipede as she startled it, "You're friends with The Toad?! How could you be on the same side as that bloated, slimy mudsucker?"

The Weasel paused, lifted his hand up to the firelight, and examined the long, sharp claws at the tips of his fingers, "We go back quite a ways. I helped him get his bearings after he was flushed into the sewers." He turned his dark eyes to her and grinned, "He isn't the only one that has a dislike for rats. Why in the world humans would pick you little creatures, instead of weasels like me, is beyond my understanding." He sighed, as if recalling a lost, cherished memory, but his eyes snapped open with fire gleaming deep within them, "Together, we decided to slowly, but surely, rid ourselves of you useless creatures."

Rita was about to bolt for it, when she felt the claws of the bats resting upon her shoulders. The Weasel bent down to look her in the eye, and a grin formed on his face.

"It's time for a little game. If you win, you're free, though I highly doubt that you will survive the ordeal of Tooth and Venom. It's about time we show you rats where you belong in this world," His lip curled up to reveal rows of vicious, sharp teeth, "…Crushed beneath the power of those superior to you."

_Another note(I know you're sick of these), the Weasel also doesn't belong to me. I also got the idea for him from the commentary on the movie. I just gave him life in this story since it was such a brilliant idea from those companies (Dreamworks and Aardman are awesome!). Also, I'm open for requests on drawing scenes from this fic, if any of you wish. I won't guarantee that they would be the best, though I'll try my hardest. Just PM me if you'd like to request one ._


	10. Chapter 10

**Dedicated to the victims of the Virginia School Shootings and their families. May they be blessed by God's love. **

_Disclaimer: I don't own Flushed Away or any of its characters. They belong to DreamWorks entertainment, as well as Aardman. _

Alright, I have to warn you that this chapter may contain a bit of blood, though I'll try to keep it down as best as I can. If you think it will disturb you in any way, please PM me and I'll give you a G-rated summary about it. I don't think it'll be that bad though. Heh, we'll see.

**Chapter 10: Trial of Tooth and Venom**

Rita groaned and rubbed the back of her head as she regained consciousness. Those bats surely packed a punch. She could still feel a sharp pain in the back of her skull where they had knocked her senseless. When she opened her eyes, she still felt as if she were out cold, for all she saw was darkness. She slowly staggered to her feet, and as she pushed her hands against the ground, she felt something cool press against her hand. She hissed as a quick stinging sensation went through her arm and she quickly pulled back her hand, feeling a strange warm liquid running down her arm.

"Great…I'm stuck in the darkness with sharp, pointy things…" Rita murmured as she tore off a thin strip off of the bottom of her blouse and wrapped it around the wound, "Now, if only I could see…"

Without warning, the young rat was bombarded by light coming from all directions. She hissed and threw her arm over her eyes, unaccustomed to the sudden brightness that filled the room. The sounds of hissing and booing met her ears, and she slowly lowered her arm until she was able to get used to the sudden change of lighting.

Apparently, she was in the center of a large arena beneath the ground. She could see the strange, glowing lichen occasionally dotting the cavern walls, though their glow was dulled by the bright beams that beat against her from the coliseum lights.

The circular walls surrounding her were covered in bleachers where a bunch of frightening characters were sitting. Unfortunately, they were not on her side. They were the ones making the unappreciative sounds that she heard all too well, echoing through the cavern walls.

Standing high above the arena, within a separate box, sat the Weasel and his insectoid pet. His black, gleaming eyes stared down at her. Rita shuddered, she knew she was in his clutches, and she was beginning to have doubts on whether she could break free or not. She was still unsure on what lay behind the thick steel door that stood before her, that was embedded in the walls of the arena.

Rita's gaze fell upon The Toad's henchrats and frogs, who were also sitting in the audience. All of them looked relaxed, as if ready to see what would happen to her. Whitey had a miniature foam finger on his hand, and he waved it through the air, a big smile on his face as he looked down at the young rat below. On seeing this, Spike huffed and tried grabbing for the finger, shouting, "Stop cheering for the wrong creature! You're going to embarrass us!"

If she hadn't been in such a dangerous position, she would have been a little more lighthearted at the scene. Unfortunately, her eyes were drawn towards The Weasel's box, where the high-class rodent now stood tall, a microphone composed out of a hollowed out golf ball resting upon a small light stand rested on the table before him. As he spoke, his dark voice reverberated through the room, causing an eerie effect.

"Welcome, one and all, to the Trial of Tooth and Venom!" he motioned down to Rita in the center of the arena, and he grinned maliciously, "This young rat has gladly volunteered to show her bravery and strength in my little coliseum."

Rita growled softly, "Volunteered?"

"So, let's see how she can battle against my little pet, with just a sword and her own wits."

The teenager turned her eyes to the sharp object she had cut herself on moments before. Upon closer observation, she noticed that it was a plastic sword used for holding cherries or olives in human drinks. Its edge was sharpened as much as it could be, made into a real weapon instead of just a decoration for an Up-Topper.

She took the handle of the blade in her hand, feeling the coolness of the plastic beneath her palm. She gave a practice swipe with it, letting it land gently upon the ground before she turned her gaze upwards to the gate, "Well, let's get this thing over with…"

As if in response to her comment, the steel door started to creak as it slid open. The grinding of stone against stone sent Rita's fur on end. She could see the darkness of the room across from her as the doors stretched out before her. A sharp hiss, much louder then the ones that spoke out behind her, burst forth from behind the gate. Rita's eyes widened in shock and she took a few steps back, bracing her legs apart and holding the sword at her side in preparation for whatever was behind that door.

From the darkness, she could see a bit of movement, and a slight chill ran through her arms and spread throughout her body. The creature within poked its reptilian head from the room, its dusty brown scales granting every inch of its body with a protective coating. Its eyes dilated into slits as the light from the arena struck them. Being unable to blink, it had to get used to the change of light, which increased its temper.

Following the head was a long, rope-like body that slid and slithered towards the rat near the back of the arena. The snake kept its head low to the ground, its ultraviolet sense searching for its prey. Against the blue and green background in the creature's sight, it could see a small hint of red and orange. The serpents forked tongue flicked out of its mouth to double check for the scent, and then it licked its lips. It seemed to it that feeding time was near.

Rita stepped further and further away from the snake as it crawled closer to her. All rats shared a deep fear for snakes of any kind, and Rita was no exception. The hand that was holding the sword was shaking now. She wasn't sure at all on how something as small as it could break through the snake's strong scales.

The serpent stopped a few yards before her and curled its lengthy body upon the ground. It lifted its head to get a better view of the girl below, and the rattle on its tail began to shake rapidly.

Rita gulped. The snake's head was so large that it could swallow her in one bite if it so chose to. She couldn't help but wonder how The Weasel got a creature of that size into the Underground, far from its home in some desert. However, she decided that thinking of a way out of here would be a better idea, and she started to look around for some option of escape.

The only thing remotely close to an exit that she could see was the room that the serpent came from. However, she didn't know where it led or whether there was a tunnel that led above ground or not. She now began to know what the saying "between a rock and a hard place" really meant.

As she turned her eyes back up to the snake, she gasped as it reared its head back, ready to strike. Grasping the sword tightly in her hand, Rita bolted to the right as the snake's head whipped forward like a slingshot. Afraid she wasn't going to make it, she leapt as far as she could and curled into a ball. She rolled onto the ground as the serpent's fangs latched onto the wall behind her. Throwing a knee and hand down, she stopped herself and chanced a glance back.

The serpent's sharp fangs were embedded deep within the solid stone. Its neck jerked back and forth sinuously as it tried to get its teeth unlodged from the rock.

Rita took this opportunity to leap over its tail and strike her blade at its side, just to see what would happen. She was pleased to see that the blade cut through the layered scales, and a small trickle of blood came from the cut. Enraged, the snake pulled sharply and its fangs broke away from the wall, causing a bit of rubble to come crashing to the ground.

"Umph!" Rita grunted as the snake's tail smacked into her stomach. She was sent tumbling backwards and landed painfully on her stomach. Winded, she shook her head to get her bearings and pushed herself off of the ground, hearing the scales of the serpent sliding across the ground as its multiple muscles expanded and contracted to allow the creature to slither forward.

As Rita got back to her feet, she gasped as she realized that the snake had circled its body around her, trapping her within a small area as its head rose above, ready to strike again.

Rita ran opposite of its lengthy neck and struck her sword down the creature's flank. She continued to slash at random intervals as she ran along the length of the snake's body, leaving large "X" shaped gashes upon its body.

The serpent hissed in pain and struck out at her once again, its maw open wide in order to snatch her up in one bite. Rita rolled beneath its head and struck the blade up at the soft, white scales of its neck, leaving a cut there as well.

The snake lifted its head again and shook its head, as if doing so would stop the pain it felt. Rita seized an opportunity and ran through the gap between the snake's rattle-tipped tail and his uplifted neck. She managed to swipe the sword at the snake once more before she made a dash for the gate. She wasn't sure if it led anywhere good, but she had to try.

Unfortunately, as she arrived halfway across the arena, the gates started to close.

"No!" she screamed as she quickened her pace. However, she knew it was futile and slowed down as the gates slammed shut. It was then that she realized that she had to fight her way out.

"Nice try, Miss Malone, but there's no way you're getting out of this one…" he paused a second and added in an undertone that was heard by everyone in the arena, "..alive."

Rita gritted her teeth and held the sword before her as the snake circled around for another strike, its head lowered against the ground as it tried to ring around her once again. It opened its mouth and slithered towards her, but she slashed the blade against the fleshy bit that connected the back of its jaws, making the snake screech angrily and back away. It realized now that it had to be more careful against this quick opponent.

"Come on! Think you're so tough now?" Rita taunted as she held the blade at an angle before her and made a "bring it on" motion with her hand, "Come and get me you giant, belly dragging slug."

The serpent hissed in defiance and came at her faster then she had planned. It made a wide arch around her before it formed a ring and made its coils draw nearer and nearer. Rita slashed as hard as she could against its lengthy body, but even though the wounds were deep, the serpent continued to pull its body closer to her. It kept its head towards the outside, but its sides pushed against Rita on all sides. Her arms were pressed tightly against her body and she gasped as her fingers were pushed open and the sword clattered harmlessly to the ground.

Rita closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as the pressure on her chest grew. It was getting harder and harder to breathe as the serpent mercilessly constricted her.

When she opened her eyes once again, she saw black dots swimming before her vision. She knew that if she didn't do something quick, she'd surely black out, and the serpents head was poised before her, ready to strike.

It was then that she remembered sitting at the table at home, long ago, and her mother had asked her to say grace. She closed her eyes once again, and with the last breath that she was able to take, she whispered a quick prayer.

"Please…if you're listening…please help me out of this…"

The coils tightened around once again, blocking out any means of inhaling another breath of fresh air. She felt herself going limp within the serpent's death trap, her vision near blacking out.

All of a sudden, a wave of gasps ran through the crowd. Rita's head shot back up and she forced her vision to work as long as she could. Mr. Malone, along with another blond haired, blue eyed mouse, had leapt in from the stands, brandishing rods that had art scratchers tied to the tips like bayonets. Rita's eyes widened in shock, and she would have gasped too if it wasn't for the rope-like body that was trying to crush her.

"Neil! I'll…body…you strike…head"

The words that her father shouted were hard to register in her fuzzy brain, but she noticed that the two split up. Mr. Malone leapt onto the thinner section of the snake's tail and climbed onto the next part as if it was a wall that needed to be scaled. He continued to climb up each coil of the snake, in order to get closer to his daughter, who's open mouth tried futilely to get some air.

Neil on the other hand, had struck out near the bottom of the serpent's neck.

The snake, aware of the stinging sensation, had turned its head and struck out at the annoying rat. However, being only able to stretch so far without losing the one trapped within, it missed by a long shot and Neil was able to stab the blade into its snout. The snake hissed in pain and its coils loosened only a bit, allowing Rita to get another quick breath of air before they tightened again.

"Hold on, Rita, I'll get you out of here. You just have to hold on."

Mr. Malone's encouraging words didn't go unheard. Rita fought to stay awake, hoping her body could last on that one breath of air until her father could break her free. She saw his hand grasp the top of the snake's uppermost coil, the one that was pushing against her the most, and his body followed. He stood up, his legs spread and braced as he lifted the point above the chosen spot on the serpent's back. Then, using all of the strength he could muster, he brought down the sharp triangular point of his weapon down onto the snake. The shaft went in deep, and the serpent let out a shattering screech. It unwound itself from its prey and slithered away, unable to get to the door that led to safety.

Mr. Malone landed roughly on the ground as the snake moved from under him. He was about to chase after it, but he stopped in mid-stride when he saw his injured daughter lying upon the ground. Fear stabbed at his heart when wild fears of her came to mind. She wasn't breathing, or at least if she was, he didn't notice right away.

He drew closer to her, and took her in his arms. Her hair fell in a tangled mess around her face. Her eyes were shut and her lips were parted slightly. He pressed his fingers upon her neck, and sighed in relief as he felt a pulse. Within a few seconds, her eyes fluttered softly and then snapped open, alert and aware of their surroundings.

"Dad, I need my sword." She muttered as she took in a deep breath to clear her head. Mr. Malone reached behind him and grabbed the hilt of the mighty weapon, before placing it into his daughter's hands. With one quick leap, she was on her feet, and she smiled back at her father, "Oh, and Dad…thanks…"

Mr. Malone beamed back, "No problem, now go get 'im, girl."

Rita leapt forward without another word towards the scaly reptile that was desperately trying to climb up the walls in order to escape the strange little creatures that continuously poked it with sharp sticks. However, to the spectators above, it seemed like the snake could not escape the enraged rat coming behind it with the sword gleaming in her hand. Revenge was written clearly upon her face. There was no way she was going to let the creature escape with her dignity.

Rita leapt onto the back of the serpent as easily as her father had, and began to run up the length of its back as it tried harder to lift itself over the wall. She placed the blade of her sword between her teeth and began to clamber up the creatures' back, using its thick scales as holds for her hands and feet. The serpents head moved back and forth, to try and dislodge the girl from its back, but whenever she felt it stir beneath her, she held tighter onto the rough scales and waited for it to pause before continuing the long climb.

When she finally reached the top of the snake's head, she took her sword into her hand and crept on her belly towards its snout, similar to how her father had done with the alligator not too long ago. Then, as she reached the tip of the reptile's nose, she threw her blade into the serpent's mouth. Because she threw it in at an angle, it lodged itself near the throat of the beast, causing its mouth to remain open. The snake was smart enough to know that if it closed its mouth, the sword would stab right through it.

"So, you're smarter then I gave you credit for…"

The Weasel's voice echoed through the chamber once again, the tone filled with malice, "…but you had, in fact, cheated. Outside help was not allowed. It seems that you, your father, and his friend, all lost." The Weasel motioned towards the figures in the middle of the arena and addressed the crowd, "Dispose of them, would you?" His beady eyes gleamed darkly, "I have no more use for them."

Immediately, LeFrog and his Henchfrogs bounded into the arena, unaffected by the height of the walls. The other rats were more reluctant, but some of them soon jumped in after them. Some of them crashed awkwardly on the ground, but when they pushed themselves up and shook their heads, they were miraculously unharmed (I love cartoons XD).

When Rita looked down from her spot upon the serpents head, she saw that they were clearly outnumbered. Neil had his weapon out, Mr. Malone's was still lodged in the serpent's back, and that gave Rita an idea.

She slid down the snakes back with her feet, one placed farther then the other, to the place where her dad's weapon had stuck out. She caught it in her arms to stop herself and to unlodge it from deep within the snake. She held it in one hand and climbed back up to the serpent's head.

"Alright you big slimy, legless lizard. Let's get some things straight!" Rita shouted as she smacked the side of the bloodied weapon on the side of the snake's snout, right before its eyes, "You're going to help me, or else I'll continue to stick you until you grow sick of it!" she pointed with the tip of the weapon towards the rats and frogs that had surrounded her father and Neil, "You're going to help me get rid of those creeps, and you're not going to harm Dad or his friend!"

The snake hesitated, wondering why it would take orders from a small creature like that, but she rapped him harder on his face. He lowered his body and began to slither quickly towards the enemies of its rider, deciding to follow the orders of the more threatening of the creatures.

Rita smacked aside the closest rat with the flat of the scratching blade and watched as the snake whipped its tail against a few others that got near the swinging appendage. The snake then made a large ring around Neil and Mr. Malone, allowing only the nimble Henchfrogs to leap over the barrier.

Rita ran along the length of the serpent's body, smacking a few rats here and there that tried getting over the makeshift wall. Her eyes sometimes darted to the ceiling above, searching for a way out of the place. Surely if there was an air vent above The Weasel's chamber, there should be one in this strange coliseum.

As Rita made her way back to the snake's head, which whipped back and forth to push back any nearby foes, she was awarded when she saw a vent, almost as high as the snake was whenever it reared its frightening reptilian head.

"Dad, Neil, get on!" Rita shouted, cupping her hands over her mouth to be heard over the noisy ruckus.

Her Father, being weaponless, was the first to clamber up the serpent's rough scales. Neil was locked in a severe combat with LeFrog, who parried every blow the rat gave him with his flexible tongue.

Rita looked over at the box where The Weasel was and saw that it was empty. The long creature was leaping nimbly down the stairs on all fours, his eyes showing their sinister gleam. His sharp claws seemed to grow even longer, extended to their full length as he leapt down to the ground. The young girl gasped. He could easily climb up the back of the slithering reptile, and he was coming right for her.

"Neil, any time will do now!" Mr. Malone roared as he scrambled up to protect his daughter upon the snake's head.

The blonde rat, having found a perfect time to strike as LeFrog got his tongue stuck upon the snake's side, struck the blunt edge of his rod upon the frog's head as hard as he could, causing the French amphibian to slump to the ground, his tongue retracting back into his mouth like a tape measurer.

Just as Neil leapt onto the snake's spine, Rita smacked the scaly creature's head and it surged forth, directing itself towards the exit that she indicated with the weapon in her hand. Unfortunately, The Weasel was much quicker and he leapt up, claws extended, towards the young rat.

Rita gasped and threw her arms out in front of her, the rod held within her shaking hands. She felt herself flying backwards off of the snake as The Weasel tackled into her. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder where his claws met her skin.

The Weasel snapped at her with his fanged jaws, but she managed to shove the rod into his mouth so he could only gnaw on that. His claws pressed her down against the ground and the young rat felt the weapon sliding from her grasp. Soon his fangs could reach her. She shuddered at the thought.

Using what strength she had left, she lifted her feet, pressed them against his stomach, and kicked up as hard as she could. When she successfully flung him off of her, she ran as fast as she could towards the snake, which was starting to climb up the wall. Her heart leapt as she realized she was going to make it.

Before she could reach the snake's tail to grab hold, she felt a crushing blow against her back and she was flung forward. She felt the clawed hand of the Weasel forcing her to turn around and he pinned her shoulder down while holding his free claw over the air. His eyes were murderous, and his teeth were bared.

"You have escaped the grasp of The Toad and I long enough. Now it's time I end this!"

As he was about to deal the fatal blow, the snake lashed out its rattle-tipped tail once again and struck the weasel's side, sending him flying off of his trapped foe. Rita stared up in amazement as she realized that the serpent had done that on purpose, and had waited at the top for her to grab hold of its tail.

She was grateful, but confused, for she was the reason that the snake's mouth was forced open with a sword. But as she began to climb up the rope-like body of the reptile, she couldn't help but wonder how the snake was stuck there in the first place. Perhaps it was grateful to be free of its underground prison. Certainly it was fed very little, in order to make it dispose of The Weasel's enemies effectively. She could only make wild guesses. She wasn't going to go back and ask the Weasel politely for some background information.

As she reached the top of the air vent on the back of the serpent. Her father was there waiting, and helped her onto a more stable part of the snake's back.

Without speaking, the two locked into a tight embrace that only fathers and daughters could share. Mr. Malone's tears fell down his face, causing small droplets to form on the soft fur on his pale cheeks. Rita just held her dad close, relief flooding through her as she realized the battle was over, and she had survived it. As they broke away from their hug, she turned her eyes upwards and murmured, "Dad, let's go home…I'm all adventured out."

Mr. Malone grinned and turned to Neil as the snake slid through the steel vent. "First I must introduce you to a great friend of mine. If it wasn't for him, I would've never found you."

"Neil," Rita smiled warmly, "I heard about you." She shook his hand and nodded her head, "I'm very pleased to meet you. Thanks a lot for coming to my assistance. I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for you."

The fur on Neil's face turned a slight shade of red, "Oh, it was nothing, I always needed an adventure." He sat down and made a slight motion with his arm as if he was swiping a sword, "I used to be quite a fencer back in my day. I guess I haven't forgotten much even though I'm an old man now."

"Old?" Mr. Malone chimed in, "You're the same age as I am."

Neil grinned, "Ah well, one could only wish. Now let's get you guys back to your ship and let this slippery beastie loose." He winked at Rita, "I'm sure that it's grateful to you. I believe that it can find some way of unlodging that sword in its throat, but for now, let's be thankful that it's there."

The laughter of all three rats echoed through the blue-lit shaft. The serpent traveled forward, as if by some invisible force, towards the safety of the underground. It, too, was anxious to find a way home.


End file.
